Sirius in Serious Trouble New Tales Book 1
by Challen Evergreen
Summary: He's popular, charming, and who everyone wants... And she's SO NOT INTERESTED. This is the tale of not just two people, but of an entire group, their rises and falls, their hopes and doubts. Enjoy.  WARNING: This story is complete, but a bit jumpy. I'm completing it, but it's slowed down because of school so I put everything I'd had up so you all weren't left hanging. That's cruel.
1. The Beginning

**So… This is my first HP fanfiction. At first I was COMPLETELY against writing this kind of fanfiction because I figured there was NO way on Earth I could do justice to one of my favorite series, but then I started to read other peoples fanfictions' and realized I don't have to change anything that J.K. Rowling has already written. There is so much she left to the imagination, and I can take and show everyone MY thoughts on it.**

**I'm going to start with the Marauders, because honestly, I LOVE Sirius and Remus and James, though not so much Peter, and have decided that yes, James and Lily end up together, but J.K. Never says what happened in between except a few details. And yes, we all know and love the Remus/Tonks couple, but what happened before that. And of course, we all know that Sirius ends up without a mate, but who's to say didn't have one BEFORE Azkaban.**

**After the Marauders I've got one story during Harry, Ron, and Hermione's time during school. Actually, this story is going to be my biggest diversion from the wonderful works of J.K. Rowling, but I'm hoping you all like it.**

**After that story I finally get to get to the children. I honestly can't wait for this, but I will because I promised myself I would do this in order.**

**Anyways, I don't own anything except my OCs, the plot of this story, and that's it… everything else is owned by the wonderfully talented JK Rowling. I don't own the world, I just live (and happily write) in it.**

**I hope you all love my story and please Review, even if it's nothing more than I wrote the wrong Too… because some day I want to write as a career so I need to better myself.**

**Thank You, from Challen Evergreen… Hopeful author and teller of tales.**

* * *

><p>"Now son, if you don't get into Slytherin, your mother and I are going to be <em>very <em>disappointed in you." The young, black haired boy of eleven heard his father say.

The boy nodded, and looked around at all the people. He watched as mothers' hugged and kissed their children, and fathers' said encouraging words, but of course, his parents where nothing like that. They were Black's, and all that mattered to them was the purity of their blood and keeping that purity going.

He finally got onto the train and headed down the long corridor in search of an empty compartment. He passed quite a few with loud groups of people talking, but he didn't want to be a part of the crowd. Finally, towards the end, he found a compartment that only held two boys. One boy had his head buried so far into a book that all that could be seen was the brown hair barely peeking over the edge. The other boy turned as the compartment door slid open and he could see that the boy had hazel eyes behind a pair of glasses, and messy black hair.

"Do you mind if I join you?" He asked the two boys, not wishing to intrude if he was unwanted.

"Of course." The black haired boy said with a grin. "At least you would be decent company." He finished, giving the other boy a glare and then turning back. "My name is James Potter. What's yours?"

"Sirius Black." He answered.

"Aren't your parents the ones who are all 'Must be Pure. Must be Pure.'?" The boy, James, asked.

"Yupp, that's them." Sirius said with a grin, then looked towards the floor once more.

"Are you like that?" James asked.

"**_No Way!" _** The boy answered vehemently.

"Good. Then we will be good friends, I can already tell." James finished with a nod, scooting over then turning back towards the other boy with a look that said he was trying to make the boy so uncomfortable, he'd look at him.

Finally, after Sirius had sit down, the boy looked up. "I suppose since you two have introduced yourself, it's only polite if I do the same."

James expression clearly said 'You Think.' But he didn't say it out loud, so instead Sirius gave the boy a nod.

He sighed, put his book down beside him, held out his hand, and said, "My name is Remus Lupin and I'm _not_ a pureblood."

Sirius stared at the boy a moment, then laughed and took his hand. "_Good_!"

Next the boy, Remus, stuck his hand out to James, and he also took the proffered hand with a smile, "We are _also_ going to be great friends." He said, shaking the boys hand and then sitting back with a laugh.

Sirius smiled to himself, maybe this year wouldn't be as bad as he'd dreaded since the day he got his Hogwarts letter.

* * *

><p>"<strong>First Year's, follow me<strong>." came a rather large booming voice that came out of a rather large man.

"Is it just me, or does he seem oddly taller than an average man?" James asked from beside Sirius.

"That's because he _isn't_ just a man." The boys heard from behind them.

They turned and found a girl starring up in awe behind them. She had deep red hair and clear green eyes and look to be the same age as them. Beside her stood a shoddy looking boy with greasy black hair and beady black eyes. The instant dislike between James, Sirius, and the boy was evident, as the girl turned from them and yanked the boy forward with a whispered "Come on Severus" as she pulled him away.

"Weird-o." James mocked under his breath.

Remus elbowed him in the ribs, making his point silently, but strongly, and Sirius just laughed as they all got into the boats.

Sirius, James, and Remus all filed into Hogwarts, waiting to find out what would happen next.

"My name is Professor McGonagall and I am your Transfiguration teacher, as well as head of Gryffindor." The woman began. "Now, when I lead you through those doors, the sorting shall begin. There are four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Whichever house you get will become like your family. You will eat together, sleep together, and take classes together. Now, please proceed in a mannerly fashion and you will be called in order of last name." The Professor finished, and then headed forward, the 1st years following slowly behind.

As the boys' headed in they heard curious singing. When they finally got close enough they realized it wasn't coming from any students, but rather from a dusty, old, worn-out, brown hat.

When the song was finally over, the Professor stepped forward and began reading names.

"**Black, Sirius**" he heard his name called.

He stepped forward with a gulp, hoping against hope that he _wouldn't_ be sorted into Slytherin.

_Hmm… a Black. You know, usually you lot are easy to place. They all have that _pureblooded is an important quality _thing going, but you… you seem different. You're plenty courageous, little regard for the rules, but you have strong loyalties, not stupid either. You wouldn't do _too_ bad in Slytherin, and that's what your parents would like, but you don't have that overwhelming _I'm better than everyone else _thing. I suppose you are going to have a lot of explaining to do, but I think you would do best in…  
><strong><span>Gryffindor<span>**_

Sirius sagged in relief, but he knew when his parents learned of this, as the hat had said, there would be hell to pay for this.

He went and sat down, saving a seat – he hoped – for his two new friends.

"**Evans, Lily**"  
>No more than fifteen seconds later he heard yelled…<br>**_Gryffindor_**

"**Ingrid, Janet**"  
>Hat barely touched her head before…<br>**_Hufflepuff_**

After that, Sirius zoned out for a while, until…

"**Lupin, Remus**"  
>Sirius heard called, which caused him to sit up straighter. Not too long after he heard shouted…<br>**_Gryffindor_**

"**Marie, Ashley**"  
>Was called and some girl with bushy brown hair and gold, cat eyes strutted forward. The hat barely touched her head when it shouted…<br>**_Ravenclaw_**

"**Pettigrew, Peter**"  
>After about thirty seconds the hat yelled…<br>**_Gryffindor_**

"**Potter, James**"  
>Was finally called and he walked forward. It only took the sorting hat a matter of seconds before it yelled out…<br>**_Gryffindor_**

"**Severus, Snape**"  
>The boy from the hall was called. This caused the James and Sirius to sneer. The sorting took longer then some, but not nearly as long as others, before it shouted…<br>**_Slytherin_**

After that, there were only two girls left. One was a tall, willowy girl with black hair that was caught into a severe bun, and piercing green eyes. She had a hard look in her eye that clearly said 'screw with me and I will eat your heart while you watch', but she also stood protectively over the other girl. That girl was much smaller, a whole head and a half shorter, and was much more waifish, then willowy. She had long, straight blond hair that seemed to flow around her, and shinning blue eyes that, even from here, he could see held a laughing twinkle.

"**Smith, Dawn**"  
>Sirius watched as the green eyed girls eyes hardened, but instead of her walking forward, the blond did.<p>

* * *

><p>Zoe watched as her half-sister stepped forward. Dawn, of course, wasn't nervous at all. She didn't care where she was placed, as long as there were lots of nice people and she made good friends. That was what Zoe was worried about, with that attitude she would probably be put in Hufflepuff, but Zoe, because of her personality, was more likely to be placed in Slytherin.<p>

She waited withheld breath and lip between teeth as, it seemed to her and everyone else, Dawn had a thorough talk with the hat.

* * *

><p>"Now, Mr. Hat, please don't be mad at me, for I mean no disrespect, but before you sort me may I please have a word with you?" Dawn asked the hat politely.<p>

_Well, this is new. Are you planning on pleading with me to put you in a specific house?_ The hat asked the strange child.

"Well, of course not sir, for honestly I don't care what house I am placed in, as long as there are people that I shall become friends with." Dawn answered.

_Well then, by all means, please ask away._ The hat said with, what almost sounded like, a grin.

"Well, here's my problem. My half-sister, Zoe, at first she seems like a ruthless and cold person, so I imagine you will probably wish to place her in Slytherin, but I assure you this is not where she belongs." Dawn began.

_Well, you do know I can see through all pretenses, correct?_

"Well of course, but see, there's the problem. It's not a pretense, she can be quite hard and ruthless and she does do everything in her power to get what she wants."

_Well then why do you believe she does not belong in Slytherin? For these are all qualities of Slytherin. Do you believe that Slytherin are bad?_

"Why of course not."

_Then please explain child._

"Well you see, that's only one part of her personality." Dawn explained. "See, she seems quite hard and ruthless, because sometimes she does things that she believes is necessary because she wants something and she must have it, but it's never for herself. She goes out of her way to make sure _others_ get what they so desperately need, so you see; she's not actually cold or ruthless, she's just loyal."

Dawn stopped for air, so the hat waited.

"And one time she dived into the river in the middle of December to save a little birds life, but when she knew it was going to die, she broke its neck to save it from the slow death. Some might say this was rather heartless, and many did, but none of them knew that she cried for a week, and in the dead of night went and buried it."

The girl stopped for more breath, but before she could go on the hat stopped her. _My dear child, I will take all you have said into consideration before I have sorted her, but I can't make any guarantees that her true place isn't Slytherin -_

"Oh, that's quite all right." She interrupted. "I did not mean to insinuate that you did not know how to do your job. I just wanted to be sure that you knew that there is more to her then meets the eyes."

_I am beginning to see that. But you know what else I see?_

"What?"

_There is more than meets the eye with you as well. _The hat said with a laugh.

"Well, that is very kind."

_Why thank you, that's why I'm placing you in…_

* * *

><p>Sirius was no longer the only one staring towards the front. After a full Five minutes, nobody was doing anything <em>other<em> than staring at the odd child sitting up on the stool waiting to be sorted. Even Remus had taken his head from his book to see why the Headmaster had not started his speech.

Sirius glanced to the dark haired girl and watched as her eyes got more and more worry filled. What could she be thinking about now? He'd seen the way she'd stood over that girl like she was some precious package.

He looked back towards the girl and watched as her hand flew to her chest and her cheeks heated in embarrassment. It was only now that he noticed her lips moving. Was she having an _actual_ conversation with the hat?

Yeah, he'd had one, but that wasn't exactly a real conversation. But this girl, she was having an actual, bonafide, conversation with the hat. Bloody Hell!

* * *

><p>Zoe bit her lip. She knew <em>exactly<em> what her sister was doing. She was trying to make sure the hat wasn't too hard on Zoe; she was being a good half-sister.

She could see Dawn's lips moving, as well as the little things that said she was definitely speaking with the hat. It had been over five minutes, and Zoe was just about to march up to the hat and demand they stop talking about her when it finally yelled…

**_Gryffindor!_****_  
><em>**Dawn heard the hat yell, but unlike all the other first years, she didn't run towards her table, rather she put the hat on the stool, turned towards it, gave it a slight bow, and a thank you, before heading off towards her new family.

* * *

><p>Zoe stood in shock. She'd figured her sweet sister would be in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, and she knew she had no chance there, but Gryffindor, she had no chance in <em>hell<em> of getting into that house.

It was a few seconds before she heard her name called, and the Professor ended up calling it several times before she stepped forward and sat herself down.

"**Zandria, Acantha**"  
>Sirius heard the Professor call. Odd, he'd figured the two girls where related, the way she stood over the smaller girl.<p>

"**Zandria, Acantha**"  
>He heard called again, and then he heard the newest girl whisper frantically, "Come on, stop worrying and just go."<p>

He turned towards the girl. "How do you know the girl so well?" He asked her.

She looked up in shock, "She's my sister of course."

"But you don't share a last name." He said, his brows coming together.

"Well, no. I should rephrase that, she's my _half_-sister." She said with a smile, and then turned her attention back to the girl, who Sirius finally realized was moving.

* * *

><p>Zoe stepped forward and let the hat be placed upon her head<p>

_Hmmm… _She heard in her head, almost causing her to unseat herself, but staying silent. _I see your sister was correct, you are much more than just cunning and ruthless_.

"Please, just place me where you think is best. I already know there is _no way_ I'm going to be placed with her."

_Hmm… I see that you were going to _demand_ to be placed with her. Why have you changed your mind?_

"I'm not Gryffindor material, and I will not pretend to be."

_Well, you are cunning, but you are also brave. I see you take punishments to protect your sister, brave _and_ loyal. Smart, _very_ smart. This is tough. If it wasn't for your sister I may have _never _figured out where to place you._

"What? Wher-"

**_GRYFFINDOR! ! !_**

* * *

><p><strong>Three Months After The Sorting<strong>

Zoe sat bolt upright in bed, trying to find what woke her. She glanced around the room first. When that brought no results, she listened… and she heard them, in the corner.

She pulled out her wand and shot a freezing charm at whoever was hiding beneath the invisibility charm. She walked towards the corner and tried all the counter-curses she knew, but when none of them worked she decided to swipe her hand around until she found them.

* * *

><p>Sirius and James couldn't help sneaking up to the girl's room. Actually, if everyone was being honest, they just wanted to see if they could get up the stairs. Someone had said that the stairs where magically charmed to keep guys out, but when they'd been able to actually get up, with much cleverness on their parts, then they had to go all the way, just to say they had. And that was where they'd been caught.<p>

* * *

><p>Zoe jerked the material off the boys then unfroze them. "What are you two doing up here?" She demanded.<p>

"Well, you see…" Neither could go on.

"You wanted to see if you could actually get up here." She guessed.

"Yupp, pretty much." They said in unison.

"Well, now that you have, can you kindly leave and let me dress." She said with false sweetness.

"One question first." Sirius said.

"What is it?" She asked with an eye roll.

"How did you know we were here? We made sure you couldn't see us." James asked.

"I heard you." She said, and turned away, leaving two very dumbfounded boys.

* * *

><p>"Hey Sirius, James…" They heard behind them, then giggles.<p>

James turned to Sirius, "What the -"

Sirius shrugged, "Girls… they're mental."

Remus just laughed. "You two are idiots."

James was just about to punch Remus when they heard the laughing going on a little ways down the corridor.

When they got there, they found a group of Slytherin tormenting some poor Gryffindor. James – being James – and Sirius – being Sirius – decided that they would jump in and save the poor Gryffindor. Which they did, by getting _themselves_ beaten up and sent to the Headmaster's Office.

"What happened?" Professor Dumbledore demanded.

"Well, you see…" Sirius started, and then turned towards James for help.

"Well, what happened was…" James also stalled, so he turned towards Remus, who rolled his eyes in irritation, but started anyways.

"Professor, what happened was this young man," Remus stopped and pointed towards the little pudgy Gryffindor First Year, "was being bullied by some older Slytherin boys. So these two hoodlums," another stop to point at Sirius and James, "decided to save him, even though there were more of them and they were all older."

Professor Dumbledore nodded, then smiled and sent all four boys on their way, with no detention or punishment.

"What do you think that was about?" Sirius asked Remus.

"No idea, but obviously he didn't care enough to punish you two idiots, so be grateful." He said with a snort, and headed for their class.

Sirius and James were laughing about the whole thing when the kid they'd saved came up to them.

"Thank you." The kid said in a slightly nasally tone.

"No problem." James said with a shrug.

"My name is Peter Pettigrew." The boy said.

Sirius looked at James and shrugged. "What's one more in the group?" He said, then looked back to the boy, "My name is Sirius, and this" he pointed to the messy black haired boy beside him, "is James."

"Nice to meet you, but whose the other boy you were with?" He asked.

"Oh, that was Remus. He keeps us out of the really nasty trouble." James said with a grin.

And with that, they added another member to their little band of boys.

* * *

><p>The last day of the year, when they would finally say goodbye to each other until next year.<p>

For some reason, this was almost harder than when he'd had to go home for Christmas Break and his parents found out he was in Gryffindor.

Or when Dumbledore sat him and James down and gave them a talkin' too about responsibility.

Or when Zoe had cornered Remus, James, and himself and gave them a beat down for "_involving her sister in dangerous and unnecessary risk taking_".

_He would really miss that moody girl_. He thought to himself. He boarded the train behind James, Remus, and Peter, Dawn and Lily, with the rest of the Gryffindor second years following behind them.

"So, a full year at Hogwarts, over." Dawn said with a sad look in her eye.

"Yeah," Lily sighed, "but we will send owls all summer, and maybe you can come over and spend a week or so at my house."

Dawn looked at her with a grin, "That sounds amazing." She said, and with that the girls began making plans.

Sirius rolled his eyes and tuned them out, but soon realized he'd also tuned out the trolley, so he had to get up and go find it himself, which was when he also found Zoe Zandria.

"Are you ok?" He asked her, seeing her sitting in one of the Compartment's alone.

She looked up from her book, and for the first time he saw her wearing a pair of glasses.

"Do you usually wear glasses?" He asked, staring at the cute little things set on the tip of her nose. They looked like they belonged on an old librarian, with thick, black, rectangular frames, but somehow they looked kind of cute on her.

"No, just when I must read." She answered, looking back to her book.

"But I've seen you read, you never wore them."

"No, actually you've seen me _pretend_ to read. I don't usually read in public." She said, looking back to him.

"Why?"

"Because, I don't like carrying my glasses everywhere with me." She said, finishing the conversation.

Instead of going back to his compartment, he sat down across from her and pulled out his own book, not that he was going to read it.

He stared at her the rest of the way to the train station, for some reason enthralled by this strangely, complicated, yet simple creature.

At the train station, everyone said their goodbyes, nobody could wait until the new year.

* * *

><p><strong><span>P.S.<span> **I am revamping everything. The first two chapters are all the ones combined from before with a few changes. After that it should be all knew.


	2. The Past

**October 29, 1959**

One Walburga and Orion Black where in a hospital room as Walburga brought their first child into the world. From the outside, you never would have assumed that that was what was going on, for the man and woman were proper to the point of insane.

When the boy was finally born, he was dark as sin, and the parent's just knew that this boy would be their perfect Pureblood son.

* * *

><p><strong>August 23, 1961<strong>

Once again, Walburga and Orion Black where in a hospital, not much different than the one they'd been in a little over three years ago. Last time they'd had – what they'd thought – would be the best Pureblood this generation had seen, unfortunately they'd been incorrect. Now they could only hope that this child would be what they wanted.

The boy was born just as the other had been, in a manner so proper none would believe it was a birth. The boy was born with dark hair and, unlike his brother, eyes just as dark as his hair. Last time, they'd believed they held the perfect son, this time they wouldn't be so hasty, but they would make sure they did everything in their power to make sure he was as he should be.

* * *

><p><strong>January 05, 1965<strong>

There are **many** things that could be assumed would take place in the household of two young boys, any thing you'd imagine, would be incorrect. In **this** house, a five year old and a three year old boy could be seen learning things such as; edict, "good" morals, and the proper behavior for a young Pureblood. Unfortunately for the eldest child, he didn't believe in any of the teachings that seemed to spout from his parent's mouth. Nor did he find himself any different from those with no magic, be they Muggle or squib, but he couldn't tell his family that. He'd just have to try to stay out of the way of all the crazy Pureblood fanatics out there, unfortunately his family seemed stuffed full of them.

* * *

><p><strong>June 13, 1960<strong>

Isabella Zandria and Jonathan De Blanc where not the most loving of people, but then again, they hadn't been surrounded by much love while growing up either. Isabella had been loved at one time, but it had gone wrong somewhere and she'd turned more bitter over it then she'd been before.

Isabella had been pregnant when she'd met Jonathan, but he hadn't minded all that much because she was a perfect Pureblood, and the father of her child had also been a Pureblood, even an imperfect Pureblood is still Pureblooded. Therefore he was unworried, for the child could be taught to be perfect, and any imperfections would be taken out easily.

Acantha Zandria was born to Isabella and Jonathan De Blanc. Strangely normal parent's, they seemed, and yet who could have known that they weren't.

* * *

><p><strong>March 12, 1961<strong>

Isabella and Jonathan De Blanc where bringing into the world, a child that was fully theirs, and therefore one that would have no flaws.

When the child was born, it was decided that she would spend the first half of her education in France instead of England. But once she was taught all she needed to know there, she would be brought to Hogwarts to be with her sister.


	3. What Happen's Next

**Second Year**

James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Dawn all met up in one of the train's compartments on September 1st, 1972.

They were all talking companionably when a girl burst into their cabin. She had beautiful gold colored cat eyes, but her hair was all over. It had been the girl that had been sorted into Ravenclaw last year, Ashley Marie.

"Where's your sister?" The girl demanded at Dawn.

"She's going to be… late this year. She's being floo'd in from her mum's. She should be at Hogwarts by tonight, hopefully." Dawn explain almost cryptically.

James and Remus nodded at the information, but Sirius wondered if there wasn't more to it then she was letting on. He just shrugged and decided he would wait and find out later.

The girl gave a raised eyebrow, but said no more, leaving just as quickly as she'd come.

After that, Sirius was pretty sure James was asking about classes, but he really didn't much care to listen. He was too busy thinking over what Dawn had just said. _What was it about that whole statement that just screamed not right_.

* * *

><p>The boy's walked into the school, for the first time of their second year, with one goal in mind… get the fastest detention in the school's history, and get it with style.<p>

"What should we do?" Peter asked in his nasally voice as he finally caught up to the other three boys.

James, Remus, and Sirius just grinned. "We already have it _all_ planed out." James said with a smirk towards the teacher's table.

"Now students. This year we have a surprise for all of our second years." Professor McGonagall informed everyone as she set up the Sorting Hat and stool before the newest first years walked in. "We have a student coming in for her first year at Hogwarts, but she is technically a second year and will be taking classes and living with all of the second years." Professor McGonagall explained. "I'd ask you all to be kind to her, for it is much more difficult for an older student coming in, then you who came in at eleven, add the fact that she isn't from England, so please be kind." And with that she left to get the new students.

The Marauder's and Dawn all sat with bated breath as a slightly taller girl came in with the first years, looking extremely cocky and laid back for someone coming to a new school full of people who'd already made friends. Most people coming into such a situation would be at least a little afraid, but the girl stood before them with her nose in the air and a collectedly calm look on her face.

"Slytherin for sure." Dawn heard Sirius whisper. "Look at how far she has that nose in the air."

Dawn scoffed. "You never know.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "If she's not in Slytherin, I'll let you borrow the Muggle coat made out of leather that I bought to piss my parent's off… for a month."

Dawn gasped. "You'd give up your new leather jacket?" She demanded. "You swore you'd never let _anyone_ use it willingly. You love that damn jacket."

Sirius shrugged. "If she's not placed in Slytherin… or Ravenclaw either."

Dawn smiled. "How about this, she's placed in Gryffindor, you let me borrow the coat for the month of November, plus you have to help me on all my Transfiguration homework for the first two months of school."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "You _really_ think a girl who's so obviously Slytherin, will be placed in _Gryffindor?" _Sirius demanded.

Dawn smiled slyly. "I've got a feeling."

Sirius stuck out a hand. "Deal." He said as they both shook on it and looked back towards the front.

By then, most of the first years had been sorted. There were only two more, and it seemed they were getting sorted quickly, then there was only the new second year.

Finally McGonagall called the last name.

"**Tarasov, Anastasiya**"

Sirius watched the tall, pale girl walk up to the stool and gracefully sit herself down. The hat sat on her head for many moments, finally the hat seemed to heave in a breath before shouting the words that would surprise most of Hogwarts, and knock Sirius off his own seat.

**GRYFFINDOR!**

Dawn smirked. "I expect that jacket in my hands November First before I head to breakfast."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Deals a deal." This from Remus.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sirius said with a huff. "You shall have it in your hand November First."

The girl went to sit at the end of the Gryffindor table, but Dawn quickly stood and walked up to the girl.

"Hey, my name's Dawn Elizabeth Smith," They heard her introduce herself to the girl. "what's your?"

The girl hesitated. "Anastasiya Katenka Tarasov." The girl answered, her Russian accent clear.

"Well," Dawn, the ever kind Gryffindor said cheerfully. "Seeing as you just earned me a right comfortable new jacket for the month of November, what say you come sit with me and my group and we can get to know each other."

The girl cocked an eyebrow. "Von you a zacket?" The girl asked.

Dawn smiled as she led the girl to the table and pushed Sirius over. "Yeah," She answered. "we had a bet going - me and the dark one here - about what house you'd be in. I was right."

"A vet?" She asked. "Vhy vould you place zuch a vet?"

Dawn laughed. "We usually do such things, just to keep it lively."

The girl nodded a bit at that, but didn't speak.

"So, do you really go by Anastasiya?" Dawn asked.

The girl shook her head. "Anya." She answered. "My vriends call me Anya."

"So, can I call you Anya then?" Dawn asked.

The girl nodded. "And vhat do you vriends call you?" She asked.

"The boys call me Dawn, but my girlfriends call me Liz." She said, "If I had any girlfriends left that is." She finished with a shrug. "You can call me Liz."

The girl nodded, then smiled. "Liz," The girl said carefully, making sure to say the L. "I vike it." She finished, reverting back to her Russian accent with the added V's and Z's.

Dawn smiled, then turned to the front as Dumbledore's second speech began and everyone quieted.

The boys finally stopped looking at the new girl and turned their attention back to their original goal. Remus finally nodded and together they pointed their wands at the head table and fireworks blew in puffs of multicolored sparks and smoke. Which, incidentally, landed in Hagrid's beard?

When he tried putting it out, he knocked over the teacher sitting next to him, which knocked into the teacher sitting next to him, and like a domino effect, it went all the way till it got to Professor McGonagall, who stood up, and stepped back, letting the professor who'd been sitting next to her land, undignified, on the ground.

When Headmaster Dumbledore searched through the sea of faces he landed on the four boys, the twinkling in his eyes told them he knew.

Peter went red and started choking on air, which set the boy's to laughing again and, consequently, got them detention.

The rest of the feast went off without a hitch.

* * *

><p>Sirius was pacing the Gryffindor common room two nights later when Zoe walked in. He noticed she looked exhausted, more circles then usual under her eyes, her skin paler then before, and her shoulders drooped more than usual.<p>

"Where _have_ you been?" He demanded in a much harsher voice then he'd intended.

Zoe jumped, swinging around to see Sirius standing in front of the fireplace. "What _are_ you yelling about?"

He hadn't realized he'd yelled, and why was he so upset by her absence? "Sorry." He said softly, trying to calm himself. "I, I mean we – as in the group, all of us – were just worried about you. And Dawn, she missed you, and stuff. Oh, and Ashley Marie, that girl from Ravenclaw, she asked after you too." The last he rushed out as though hoping it would calm any anger she might have felt.

"Oh." Zoe said with a nod. "I guess I should wake them and tell them I'm here." She bit her lip at this, and looked towards the ground.

"Nah," Sirius said warmly. "Just tell them tomorrow, otherwise you won't get any sleep tonight."

Zoe looked back at Sirius with a grin, "K. I'll do that." She said and walked up and gave him a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

><p>"You didn't tell me your sister was back." James whispered to Dawn as they all watched Zoe walk into the Great Hall the next morning.<p>

"I didn't know." She said. "You'd think she'd wake her own _sister_ up."

"Sorry." Sirius said after hearing that.

"What do _you_ have to be sorry for?" Dawn demanded suspiciously.

"I told her to wait till today." He explained.

"Why?" Dawn asked. "And when did you even speak to her?"

"Last night. I was up when she got in." He said, deciding to answer her second question first. "She looked tired so I figured the morning was as good a time to tell you lot she was back."

"Oh." Dawn said, nibbling at the inside of her cheek. "I guess that's ok then." She said, nodding. "Thanks Sirius." Then she stood, nodding to Anya, then headed for her sister.

Sirius watched Dawn walk up to her sister and embrace her, then slowly lead her towards the table. When he looked back towards his friends, he saw their mixed expressions. Not wanting to deal with them, he stood and headed for Defense Against the Dark Arts with nothing more than a wave to show what he was doing.

* * *

><p>"Hey Zoe." Dawn said, linking her arm threw her sisters.<p>

"Hey Dawn." Zoe replied wearily.

"So… are you going to tell me why you're so late?" Dawn asked hopefully.

Zoe looked at her sister with a smile. "Nope." She answered and unlaced her arm, then headed for class, grabbing a piece of toast off the Hufflepuff table on her way out and throwing a wave Ash's way to let her know she'd returned.


	4. I'm Not Just a Pureblood

Zoe sat in her very first class of her second year with a grimace. It wasn't the class that caused the face, but rather the house she was forced to share the class with. Slytherin weren't her favorite house, actually, it was her _least_ favorite house.

"Hey there luve." A boy said as he walked up.

Zoe turned around to see it was a Slytherin, not that it came as _any_ surprise what so ever. "I'm not your love." She said with a disgusted look on her face.

"Oh, don't hate." He said in an irritatingly sticky voice.

"I can't help it." She said with a smirk. "Your just so hate-able, and honestly, your disgusting, irritating, weak, and so far below my league, you don't even qualify to sit in my stands." She threw at him.

"I'm a Pureblood, and so are you, therefore we fit." He said as though explaining to an inept child.

"I'm twelve. Your twelve. None of this matters. We won't be dating for _at least_ another year or two, and when I finally decided to notice a boy, it won't be you." She explained. Then she stood, grabbed up her bag and Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and all her other supplies, and headed to find a different seat.

Zoe glanced around when she finally got over her anger at the stupid Slytherin, only to notice she had limited choices. She could sit with Lily, but the Slytherin boys wouldn't back off just because Lily was there, and it didn't matter anymore because Severus had just taken that seat.

She had fewer choices now. Sit by the few girls left, and not escape the Slytherin, or sit with a Slytherin and even less escape.

Then she noticed Sirius sitting alone. Slytherin tended to avoid the Marauders - even if they'd only gotten into small amounts of trouble so far - so why not sit with them.

James was sitting in front of Sirius' table with Christopher, another of the Gryffindor boy's in their year, Dawn was sitting with someone Zoe didn't recognize behind Sirius, and Remus and Peter were sitting in the desks beside Sirius. That left one seat beside Sirius. She'd be closed in on all sides and maybe the Slytherin would leave her alone, at least for this class. Unfortunately there was some skirt closing in on the seat, so instead of being dignified, she sent a tripping jinx at the girl and ran for the seat.

Sirius jumped as someone dove for the seat next to him. He laughed until he turned and saw who it was.

"You ok Zo'?" He asked in concern.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She asked pleasantly enough.

"Why are you sitting with us?" Dawn asked from behind her in an interested tone.

Sirius watched Zoe turn around, then turn back to him. She was trying to look as nonchalant as possible, but he saw the pleading in her eyes that told him she wanted him to pretend normalcy. So he did just that.

"Thank God you found the seat. I almost thought you forget your promise." Sirius said, relief filling his voice.

Zoe turned to him with a cocked eyebrow, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"What promise?" She heard Dawn ask behind her.

Sirius laughed a little. "This is a bit embarrassing, but I begged Zoe here to sit with me and help me out with DA." He explained with another laugh. "I'd almost thought she'd forget. Thank god she didn't, I'd have failed for sure."

"So you're going to be sitting here often?" Dawn asked.

Zoe looked over at Sirius and couldn't help the grateful smile she threw his way before she turned back to her sister with a shrug. "I suppose." She said with a long suffering sigh and an eye roll. "Couldn't let a fellow Gryffindor down." She said, looking back at Sirius. "We're supposed to be a loyal bunch and all." She finished then turned towards the Professor with only one last smile shot at Sirius.

* * *

><p>Zoe breathed a sigh of relief when DA was finally over. She nodded to everyone she'd sat with and headed out of class, only to have one of the dang Slytherin corner her in the hallway on her way to Transfiguration.<p>

"So, I see you are sitting with the Gryffindorks big bad Marauder's group now." He said with a sneer.

"You know, I don't even remember your name. Why are you insisting on bugging me?" She demanded, reaching for her wand slowly.

"Because, I know your bloodline, and it's exceptional." He answered.

"You really are insane, aren't you?" She asked with sarcasm clear in her voice.

He scoffed. "No, I just know the order of things, and your high up on the chain."

"Whatever." She scoffed and headed around him, only to have him grab her arm and roughly yank her back.

"You're not going anywhere until you and I discuss how this is going to go." He explained softly.

"Actually." She heard behind the Slytherin. "I think she is."

The Slytherin turned and she saw none other than the entire Marauder group plus Dawn and her new friend, Anya, all had wands pointed at the Slytherin.

"Damn." Zoe said with a pitying grin at the Slytherin. "I think I _am_ leaving. And I'm going with these lovely gentlemen too." She said, yanking her arm from his grasp and walking over to stand between James and Remus, Sirius standing slightly in front of her and Peter, Dawn, and Anya behind her.

"Hey, I didn't hurt her." The boy said.

Zoe smirked at that one. "You couldn't even if you'd tried." She answered drolly.

"No harm no foul then." He said, backing away.

Sirius looked at Zoe and grinned. "Nope. No harm no foul." He said, then sent a Jelly-Leg Jinx at the boy and turned to walk away, he linked arms with Zoe as he walked.

Zoe turned to Sirius with an eye-roll and a smile. "You are seriously mean." She said.

"It's all in the name." He explained with a smile, but he turned sober the minute the group was out of hearing distance. "Is that why you dove into the seat next to me?" He asked.

She shrugged.

Sirius sighed. "I did notice we had you practically surrounded and last year you couldn't _stand_ that."

Zoe gave a small shrug, but grudgingly nodded when she saw the look in his eyes that told her he wouldn't let her leave it at that. "Yeah. Last year it wasn't so bad, but this year it's gotten worse. You'd think since we are only like twelve that they'd leave off until _at least_ third or fourth year, but I think it's gotten out the I'm related to the infamous Isabella." She explained.

"Isabella _Zandria_. Wow, never would have guessed." He exclaimed sarcastically.

Zoe smirked sarcastically in return. "Yeah, well that means Pureblood and lots of prestige." She explained.

"Well, I'm Sirius _Black_. That means Pureblood and _more_ prestige, but you don't see Slytherin boys attacking _me_." He said with a droll laugh.

Zoe smiled wider. "I'll protect you when they start."

Sirius gasped. "You promise?" He asked with huge puppy dog eyes.

Zoe shook her head and gave him another eye-roll. "Promise." She answered.

"Hey you two. You're going to be late." This from Remus.

"We're coming." Sirius said in his best girl voice at Remus, giving him an eye bat to go with it.

Zoe stepped in and saw, to her relief and joy, they had this class with Ravenclaw.

"You don't mind if I sit with Ashley?" She asked hesitantly.

"Why would I?" He asked back.

"Because I just totally used you not once, but twice." She explained.

Sirius laughed. "No problem. That's what the Marauders are here for. Protecting pretty girls throughout the school." He said in a knightly voice.

Zoe swatted at him. "Go show off your Transfig genius with James and leave me to my Ravenclaw." She said, walking towards Ashley.

Sirius gave her one more wave and headed to where James had saved him a seat.

"So…" Lily said from behind him.

Sirius turned and saw Lily sitting with Mary McDonald, two other Gryffindor - he couldn't remember the name of - sitting in the desks beside them, just as Remus and Peter were sitting beside him and James.

"So what?" He asked innocently.

"_You_ need help in Defense Against?" She demanded.

Sirius shrugged. "Maybe I just like Zoe's company." He said.

"So you _lied_ to her?" Lily demanded.

Sirius laughed. "Not so much a lie, as an… untruth."

Lily just rolled her eyes as He, James, and Peter laughed. Remus, being Remus, just shook his head and went back to his book.

Sirius turned back to the front, but not before he threw a wink at Zoe.

* * *

><p>"So…" Zoe heard beside her.<p>

She turned to Ashley with a raised eyebrow and a perfectly innocent look on her face. "So what?" She asked.

"You and Black?" She demanded.

Zoe gave a scoff and an eye-roll. "Not even. He and the Marauders just helped me out of a sticky situation." She explained.

Ashley gave a sigh. "Slytherin again?" She asked.

Zoe gave a slight shrug. "They don't seem able to leave me the hell alone." She growled. "OMG!" She said in her perfect rendition of a dumb blond. "It's like, oh my god, her mother is, like, the biggest supporter of Mudblood extinction and so, like, she has to be too, and, like, my parents are so controlling that they decided I should, like, marry someone like that."

Ashley laughed. "You're _so_ weird." She said with a small giggle.

Zoe laughed. "It's an art form." She said with a smile and a bit of eye batting.

"I still say you let me kick their arses." Ash said in exasperation, getting back to the matter at hand.

Zoe looked her up and down then grabbed her tie. "Nope, still a Ravenclaw." She said after checking it over completely.

"What does _that_ have to do with anything?" She demanded.

"Aren't you all about knowledge and stuff?" She asked. "A lot of Ravenclaw I know are against fighting because you don't _learn_ anything from it."

Ashley scoffed. "I'm Muggleborn. Therefore I learned fisticuffs when I was like, five." She explained. "You met my daddy, he's all for me kicking some arse and taking some names. And he says I _am_ learning from it, valuable skills actually." Ashley explained.

"Oh yeah." Zoe said. "Like what?"

"Like how to protect myself." Ashley explained. "That's knowledge therefore I should do it, as a Ravenclaw it's my _duty_." She explained.

Zoe gave another laugh and finally turned towards the front, unable to even answer Ashley with a reasonable argument.

* * *

><p>Sirius had been surprised the first time he'd heard the laugh from Zoe, because her sister had said it was so rare he'd never thought to hear it, but it was actually a really pretty sound.<p>

James poked him, hard, because he was so focused on Zoe's laugh, he accidentally turned his lizard into a paint splatter rather than a cup.

"Focus." James snapped.

Sirius shook his head to clear it and turned back to his lizard, deciding he would ignore her for the rest of class.

* * *

><p>Charms, with Hufflepuff, went off without anything disastrous or irritating happening, which wasn't a surprise in the least, and it was finally time for lunch.<p>

Zoe ran up to Gryffindor tower before she went to lunch. She wanted to swap out her DA, Transfig, and Charms textbooks for her Potions, History, and Herbology textbooks and supplies.

She was headed down for lunch when the same Slytherin from that morning cornered her.

"Wow. Are you stupid, or just too thick to get it through your ugly head?" She demanded.

The Slytherin laughed. "I'm not here for myself this time girly."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Then what do you want?"

"I'm here to give you a message." He explained.

Zoe didn't answer, just waved her hand around, saying he could either get on with it, or go away. Whichever way one decided to look at it. Unfortunately, he chose the first.

"You know Lucius Malfoy? Correct?" He asked.

Zoe gave him an arched brow. "You mean that pompous fourth year who seems so entranced with the crazy Slytherin third year Bellatrix?" She asked innocently.

"Yeah. In a nut shell." The Slytherin growled.

Zoe sighed. "What about him?" She demanded.

"Well, he's decided he's your new protector. Therefore if anyone bothers you, including the Marauder's, your to tell him and he'll deal with it." He answered grudgingly.

Zoe stared at the boy for a moment in complete stupefaction, then she snorted and began laughing so hard her sides began to ache. When she finally got her breath back she had to hold herself back from laughing again. "Well." She began when she could finally speak again. "You can tell this, Malfoy character, thanks, but no thanks." She said, then turned to leave.

The Slytherin laughed.

Zoe turned back around. "What?" She demanded.

"He said if you said that then he'd just have to show you how much his protection is needed." The boy said.

Zoe's left eyebrow cocked up higher. "And what's that mean?" She demanded.

The boy laughed again. "You've just become a free-for-all until you reconsider." The boy answered.

"Good thing I can take care of myself." She said, and stormed into the Great Hall, shooting the Slytherin table a very nasty hand signal she'd learned from Ashley. It was a Muggle sign, but even in their ineptness, they should understand.

* * *

><p>Finally, she sat herself with as much dignity as she could muster, which basically meant she slammed herself and her bag down with a thump.<p>

"What's up?" Dawn asked.

Zoe just shook her head and changed the subject. "So, your name is Anya?" She asked the pretty dark haired girl sitting beside Dawn.

The girl shrugged a bit. "Zechnicaly, my name is Anastasiya, vut my vriends call me Anya."

"Which would you like me to call you?" Zoe asked.

"You may call me Anya." She said, "Since you zister is my vriend."

Zoe nodded, then "So it's true about you being Russian as well."

The girl nodded. "Very Vrussian."

Zoe smiled. "Well then, glad to have you in Gryffindor, hopefully you will keep Dawn and the boys out of the trouble I've been unable to."

The girl laughed. "Vell, I zhall try my vest." The girl said, then went back to her lunch.


	5. Girl's Can Play Quidditch Too

"GET UP!" Sirius heard a voice yell right next to his ear the first weekend of the school year.

"Bloody Hell!" He yelled as he shot up in bed. "Go away Dawn."

"Your no fun." She said with a pout that turned into a grin seconds later. She turned towards James and crept to his _still_ sleeping form. Sirius watched as she bent over and got really close to James' ear. Then she sucked in a big breath, and Sirius threw his hands over his ears, waiting.

"WAKE UP!" She screeched, then shot backwards as James swiped his arm out, trying to smack at the irritation.

"Bloody, everlasting hell Dawn. What do you think you're doing?" James demanded.

"Waking you up, it's Saturday, which means Quidditch try-outs in an hour." She said sweetly, then she skipped out the door, leaving two of the four boys mystified.

Sirius heard the bathroom door open and out walked a **very** awake Remus. "What did I miss?" He asked.

Sirius heard James snort. "Dawn just came in and, quite sweetly, woke us up. Isn't that thoughtful?"

"I'm assuming that it wasn't very thoughtfully done at all." Remus said with a laugh.

"That assumption would be valid." Sirius said with a snort of his own.

Remus just rolled his eyes then flicked his wand at Peter, who flew out of bed and landed on the floor, making him as irately awake as the rest of them.

* * *

><p>Sirius watched as people readied themselves for this year's Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts. There were quite a few people trying out this year, but he wasn't too worried. What did surprise him was when none other than Zoe Zandria and Dawn Smith walked onto the field.<p>

Sirius sauntered up to them. "You girls here to cheer me and James on?" He asked cockily.

Dawn snorted. "Actually, if I'm not mistaken, she's here to take the Beater position." She explained, nodding towards Zoe.

Sirius looked her up and down with a raised brow. "Oh really?" He asked.

Dawn laughed. "I'm not worried." She said with a playful grin. "She can take you."

Sirius looked Zoe up and down once more, but this time _thoroughly_.

She had her hair pulled back like she always did, but instead of a bun it was a high ponytail thing with the tail braided tightly. It was so long that, even though the ponytail was on the top of her head, the braid hit her lower back easily. She looked fragile and graceful and beautiful, but mostly fragile. If one looked closely they could tell that she was still exhausted from whatever ordeal she'd been through, and yet she still showed up. She was determined, that was for damn sure.

"What about you?" He asked Dawn.

Dawn looked over the team with a frown. "Well, I love Quidditch, don't get me wrong, and I can argue teams, positions, the whole line up." She said, still glancing over the team. "And right now I can tell you every person who should be picked and who would win us the Quidditch Cup this year, just by what they are doing right now."

Sirius gave her a raised eyebrow. "But…"

"But honestly, I don't want to go up against either you or Zoe for Beater position, you don't need a Keeper, you have plenty of good Chasers here, and trust me, your Seeker isn't going to be too shabby, maybe not as good as the one that _should_ be picked, but not shabby. There is also the little thing with your Captain being a bit of a sexist jerk, along with the Slytherin and Hufflepuff captains, and I can't deal with that like Zoe can. So instead I'm going for commentator."

Sirius arched a brow. "Are they really like that?" He asked.

"Yeah." Dawn said with a nod. "They are."

Sirius once more looked at Zoe. "Can she handle it?" He asked, a bit concerned.

Dawn laughed. "In her sleep, with both hands tied behind her back."

Sirius laughed. "Good." He said, "And good luck." He finished before walking towards James and everyone else.

Dawn smiled. "Good luck." She whispered under her breath with a smile before walking to where Professor McGonagall and Anya stood, off to the side, so she could try out for Commentator.

* * *

><p>"Hello recruits." A man in a Captain's uniform said with a superior tone. "Before we start, all of the females, I'm warning you now, if you can't keep up, leave, because I won't slow down for you."<p>

Sirius looked around, but no one left. That was promising.

"Ok, I warned you." The guy said. "My name is Jason Spinner. I'm your keeper, that's the person who guards the post. Anyone who didn't know that _also_ needs to leave." He waited a moment and two people left. "Ok, not bad."

"Next order of business, anyone who doesn't know how to properly ride a broom, or can't ride a broom _all together_, needs to leave now." He said. Three more people left.

"Anyone who doesn't know what a Chaser, a Seeker, or a Beater is, needs to leave." He said, four more people left. "And anyone who can't tell me how many of each there are, also need to leave."

By this time, ten of the twenty people who'd shown up, had left - but none of the leaving had been female. There was him, James, Zoe, two other girls from upper classes, Anthony, who was in his year, and the four original players who were retrying out.

"Now that we've finally gotten rid of the majority of the crowd, I need to separate you all. First I need my Seeker tryouts."

Sirius watched as one of the two girls stepped forward and one of the originals.

The captain nodded. "Now I need my Beaters."

He stepped forward, but so did two of the original players, and Zoe.

The captain smiled and nodded once more. "I suppose the rest of you are Chasers."

The last older female, James, and Anthony all stepped forward.

"This is going to be… interesting." The captain said. "Brooms now!" He shouted.

Everyone rushed to their brooms and jumped into the air.

Sirius didn't know what everyone else was doing, he was so focused on his own instructions, he totally forgot about everyone else's.

When they finally landed, the Captain looked from recruit to recruit.

"I'm going to call out who's chosen. Listen for your name." He said. "

Seeker: Justin Davis

Chaser: Samual Trainston  
>Chaser: Anthony Craigon<br>Chaser: James Potter

Beater: Sirius Black  
>Beater: Lance Freeborn<p>

Sirius jerked his head around to see Zoe, who was frankly furious, and she let it be known.

"Bullshite." She said calmly, yet loudly enough to be heard.

The Captain looked towards her. "What did you just say?" He asked.

Zoe sauntered up to him slowly, got right in his face, and stared the seventh year down as she repeated herself. "Bull. Shite."

"And why is that?" The Captain demanded as everyone looked on.

"Because, you and I both know, I'm a _much_ better Beater then the Freeborn fool. You just don't want a girl to invade your team so you're willing to go for a Beater not worth his salt. Not only that, but Janice there is an amazing Seeker, Alexandria would make a superb Chaser, top that off with the fact that the only reason you don't have more girl's trying out is you're a sexist pig, and is there any wonder I _know_ you're full of bullshit." She replied.

"Why do you _assume_ you're better than he is?" Jason demanded, _completely_ changing the subject.

"I bet you I can take his ass off that broom faster than he can mine, and I can do it with style." She informed him.

"Not even -" The 'Freeborn Fool' started, but was promptly cut off by none other than Professor McGonagall.

"I think we should let her." The Professor informed the Captain.

"Bu- but ma'am." Captain Jason stuttered.

"Is this Quidditch?" The Professor demanded.

"Yes." He replied stupidly.

"And in Quidditch, the Beater is supposed to hit the Bludger at the other team, and also be able to defend from said Bludger. Correct?" She asked slowly and in the easiest terms to follow, as though talking to a fool, which incidentally, was accurate.

"Yes ma'am." He answered.

"Then let them." She said, final judgment clear in her voice.

He nodded grudgingly and sent the two into the air.

Now that Sirius could actually concentrate on things other than himself, he noticed that Zoe was a _damn_ good flyer, and she knew how to handle the bat just as well. In no more than fifteen seconds she had knocked Freeborn off his broom, the Bludger coming nowhere near doing the same to her.

She landed back on the ground as graceful as a dancer and threw the bat at the captain with a sneer. "You're going to lose, because your too stupid to get your head out of your ass and realize that though Ravenclaw has not one, but _four_ _of their seven player_ that are female, they win the Quidditch cup **_every year_**. Have fun loosing." She said and whipped around, her hair flying out like a blazing banner behind her.

Sirius tried to hold his laugh in, but he couldn't. The only thing he could be thankful for was the fact that Professor McGonagall's laugh was _much_ louder than his.

"That little firecracker could have won us the Quidditch Cup this year, and I want that Quidditch Cup. If I have to hear Flitwick crow over how amazing his house is, I may actually poison myself." She said, looking at the Captain pointedly. "Now, I don't care what you do, what you promise, or how far that huge ego of yours has to fall, get her on this team, and get me that Quidditch Cup from Ravenclaw." She said, then turned to leave, but turned back once more. "Also, Black, Potter, I expect you to be a little better behaved now that you are on my Quidditch team." She said, then rolled her eyes a bit. "But I doubt it's going to happen."

After this was said, she finally left for good. Sirius and James both glanced at each other, trying not to laugh, and barely succeeding.

When Captain Jason finally let them leave, he didn't have the look of a man who'd just found his winning team, instead he had the look of a man who'd just _lost_ that team. _Poor kid._ Was Sirius' thought. _He didn't relish the job the Captain was going to have, trying to convince Zoe after what he'd done to embarrass her._

James and Sirius headed back towards the Great Hall for lunch. Neither of them had realized just how hungry they were, till they sat and started shoveling food down.

Dawn glanced at the two boys, but it wasn't her that shook the entire table up in anger, it was the little Ravenclaw that had barged in on them on the train.

"Where is your Quidditch Captain?" The little bushy haired girl demanded saucily.

Remus cocked an eyebrow. "Why?" He asked.

"Because, I'm about to explain to him a little fact about woman, and how we can do anything that any dumb boy can do." She said, even saucier than before, if one could believe such a thing was possible.

Remus didn't reply, instead he pointed farther down the table where the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain sat surrounded by all of his friends and admirers.

Before Ashley could reach the poor man, Zoe grabbed her by the back of her robes and yanked her back, literally dragging her back towards where the Marauders sat, kicking and screaming. Zoe slammed Ashley down, not letting her go until she stopped struggling.

"Why won't you let me?" Ashley demanded once she'd finally calmed down.

Zoe shook her head. "I don't need you to fight my battles Ashley."

"I _want_ to kick his arse though. Anyways, it's not fighting your battles, it's fighting the battles of _all_ women." Ashley explained reasonably.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "No." She said forcefully.

Sirius laughed. "Doesn't matter anyway." He explained quietly.

Ashley glared his way. "What _are_ you talking about?" She demanded.

"Oh nothing." He said conversationally. "Just that McGonagall told Spinner that if he didn't get you on the Quidditch team, she wasn't going to be happy."

Zoe snorted. "There's _nothing_ he can do to get me on that team."

Sirius and James both laughed. "You do realize she said _anything_ to get you on the team." James reiterated.

"Yes, well the only thing that will get me on that team is the sexist pig openly admitting, in front of the entire school, that women can do anything men can." Zoe said in irritation.

Anya finally joined the conversation at this point. "I zink you may actually get your vish."

Zoe rolled her eyes and stood to leave. She was no longer hungry for lunch. Ashley rolled her eyes a bit, but stood as well and followed after.


	6. I Can Take Care Of Myself Can't I

_Was it possible to be tired of school after only two weeks?_ Zoe silently asked herself as she sat in Potions beside some Gryffindor girl - she was pretty sure the girls name was Elizabeth or Ellie or something like that - Friday, a week after her humiliation on the Quidditch field.

Slughorn was explaining some potion, but she wasn't exactly paying much attention. So it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise when she accidentally blew her cauldron up and sent herself flying backwards into the set of tables behind her. What did come as a surprise was when she came awake, it was to a Slytherin carrying her, rather than someone she even remotely trusted.

She thrashed around until the boy dropped her. She scrambled backward, scooting across the ground, using her arms to drag herself backwards. She pressed herself against the wall, trying to bury herself in the column she had her back resting against.

"Why are you so scared?" He asked.

Zoe looked the kid up and down. "Call it caution. I'm not stupid."

The kid raised his hands up in surrender. "I'm not with the rest of them, the ones who think your just some Pureblood Princess."

Zoe looked him up and down. "You expect me to believe you?" She demanded.

"Are you saying Slytherin House is bad then?" He demanded.

"No, just the majority of the Slytherin population." She spat at him.

The boy held out a hand towards her. "I _swear_ I'm not here to hurt you." He said softly. "I just need to get you to the hospital wing."

Zoe looked him up and down. "If you're lying to me, I _will_ slit your throat and cut you into tiny pieces."

The boy smiled. "Agreed." He said, then lifted her to her feet and started for the Hospital Wing.

* * *

><p>Zoe thanked the Slytherin boy and got herself checked over by the Nurse before she headed for History of Magic with Ravenclaw.<p>

When she sat down, she was still so distracted that Ashley actually noticed, which was when she turned to her best friend and spilled all the details about what had just happened between her and the Slytherin.

"So your telling me that a _snake_ helped you?" Ashley demanded.

Zoe shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"What do you think he wants?" She asked hesitantly.

Zoe shrugged once more. "I don't know." And with that, she turned back to listen. But all through that class and dinner, she couldn't seem to get the Slytherin out of her mind.

* * *

><p>Zoe woke the next morning, the Slytherin boy from the day before still clearly etched in her thoughts. <em>What had he wanted? Did he have an agenda or was he telling her the truth about just trying to help?<em> She couldn't dwell on something she couldn't answer, so she would stop dwelling.

"Get up!" Dawn yelled from across the room. "First Quidditch game of the year today."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "You mean first _loss_ of the year."

Dawn shrugged. "They have a half decent team, it's just not good enough to defeat Ravenclaw."

"Exactly." Zoe threw out.

Dawn rolled her eyes a bit.

"You vealize ve are against Zlytherin today?" Anya said softly from the other side of the room.

Zoe rolled her own eyes at this. "Won't matter, I still don't see a victory unless our Beaters keep an eye on our Seeker and our Keeper."

Dawn nodded reluctantly at this. "Yeah, Slytherin does have a tendency to try knocking out our major players."

"Exactly." Zoe finished before heading in to the bathroom to put her hair up.

"We'll meet you out there." Dawn yelled as she and Anya rushed out the door.

Zoe peeked her head out the door to make sure her sister was gone for real before rolling her eyes and returning to the bathroom to finish with her hair.

As she finished off with her bun, she couldn't help but think if she would just cut it off, she wouldn't have to worry about the bun anymore.

But no, she wouldn't do that, not yet anyways. She finished thinking about her hair and grabbed her cloak to head for the Quidditch pitch, unable to procrastinate any further.

* * *

><p>The game lasted a bit longer than expected, but what surprised Zoe the most was Gryffindor's win. Not that it was an amazing win of course, actually it was a rather bad win.<p>

"You coming down here to congratulate me?" Sirius asked as Zoe walked towards him and James.

Zoe smiled. "You know the only reason you won was luck."

Sirius shrugged. "Yupp, I know."

"And you're ok with that?" Zoe demanded.

Sirius laughed. "Actually, I am."

"Why?" Zoe demanded.

"Because, we won, and it wasn't _just_ luck." James said, cutting in. "Our one good Beater protected our Seeker. Our horrible Beater protected our Keeper - yes, I was hoping he'd get so hurt he couldn't play any longer, unfortunately both our Beater and Keeper will be patched up in about five minutes. And I have to admit, our Chasers weren't that bad. Especially our Second Year Chaser." James finished with a flourish and a bow.

Dawn rolled her eyes as she heard the last of James statement as she walked up to the group from the commentator's box, Anya beside her.

"No, our Chaser wasn't to vad." Anya said, giving him a pat on the back. "Vut how'd you get avay vith the play vithout your lovely Captain stepping in? He didn't even seem to know vhat vas going on… vell at least during the part of the game he vas concious."

James shrugged. "Everyone on the team other than the other Beater, one of the Chaser's, the Seeker, and our Captain, seem to think I'm good at plays."

"That's only half your team following you." Dawn informed him.

James shrugged. "That's all I need to make sure we don't get _totally_ demolished except by Ravenclaw. We don't have a chance against them."

"No you don't." Ashley informed him as she walked up to them.

"How would you know?" Sirius demanded.

Ashley laughed. "I'm one of the Ravenclaw Beaters." She informed him with a smirk.

"Why am I not surprised that you'd be a Beater." Dawn said with a laugh.

"Hey," Ashley said with a shrug. "I'm good at what I'm good at. Hitting things, whether people or at people, just happens to be one of those things."

Zoe smiled. "Let's go celebrate James and Sirius big day. I mean, it's not every day a Second Year goes behind a Seventh Year's back."

James lifted his hands grandly. "Hey, it's not my fault I'm serious about Quidditch."

Dawn, Anya, and Ashley laughed while Zoe just smiled.

"Let's go celebrate Marauder's." Dawn said finally, leading the group away.

* * *

><p>The Sunday <em>after<em> the win against Slytherin, Zoe spent most of her day in the Library. So it was a shock when she finally stopped focusing on her homework and finally realized it was dark outside.

Zoe hurriedly gathered her things and headed out of the Library, a wave at Master Trunel as a thank you for not interrupting. _He was such an _awesome_ Librarian._ She thought to herself as she walked towards Gryffindor Tower.

She was jerked out of her thoughts when someone yanked her forcefully out of them. The grip on her arm was bruising, and the shaking made her head jerk back and forth forcefully. "Well, if it's not our pretty Pureblood Princess, boys." The voice said.

Zoe jerked her arm away from the horrible boy. "Who are you?" She demanded. She'd seen him around, and knew that he was a third year, but she didn't know his name.

The boy scoffed. "How do you _not_ know me?" The boy demanded, looking at his buddies as he asked it. "_Everyone_ knows me."

Zoe snorted. "Well, I'm not _everyone_." She informed the stupid boy.

The boy's eyes narrowed. "Names Amycus Carrow." The boy snarled, his little piggy eyes squinting in anger.

Zoe snorted again. "Amycus…" She drawled slowly, letting the name slide threw her lips. "Crazy Alecto and Amycus Carrow. Yeah, I remember you now. Your that wizard who would rather hit someone than curse them - probably because you have so little magical talent." She answered, clearly telling him with her eyes, what she hadn't already with her words, that he meant nothing to her.

"Why you little -" The older boy snarled as he swung at her.

Zoe ducked the punch and slipped under the boy, but before she could get away, another boy had grabbed her robe and yanked her back. He threw her back at the wall and she felt the breath leave her as she connected with it. She turned back to the boys.

"Now you're going to see what happens when you insult your betters." The boy said with a laugh.

Zoe laughed coldly in return. "I'm Pureblood, your nothing." She informed him

"Oh, you may be the Pureblood Princess everyone wants, but your still a blood traitor who needs to learn her place." The boy informed her. It was then she realized she wouldn't have backup this time, she'd have to deal with it herself, and there were to many of them for her to get away unscathed.

Before she could think better, Zoe had her wand in hand and had fired several jinxes at the boys before someone shot **_Expelliarmus_** at her and her wand went flying, leaving her _completely_ defenseless.

"Now." The boy said coldly, closing in.

Zoe backed up further, connection with the stone being the only thing that stopped her backward momentum. She narrowed her eyes as the boy reached for her. When he wrapped his meaty left hands around her right upper arm, she lashed out with a left hook Ashley had taught her, and felt the bones in his nose break. Before she could move to hit him lower, he'd already brought his right hand up and hit her with the back of it, the ring on his index finger laying her cheek open.

She whipped her head back around and spit the blood that was congealing in her mouth, straight at his face. This caused the hand on her arm to tighten as he lifted her up and shoved her against the wall so forcefully she knew her back would be bruised.

She went to head butt him, but he flew backwards and she slid to the ground in a boneless heap.

When she looked back up it wasn't to see a teacher, an older student, or the Marauder's, instead there stood the same Slytherin who'd helped her after she blew up her Potion's cauldron.

She finally looked at him - _really_ looked at him - and noticed he was really quite handsome, for a Slytherin.

He was tall and dark skinned, with high cheekbones, and brown slanting eyes. He had a wealth of black hair, and he looked good in the green and silver of Slytherin.

"Wow, you've saved me again." Zoe said with a laugh that she instantly regretted as she felt the bruising of her ribs.

The boy arched a brow. "I see I have." He said with a chuckle. "Would you like me to take you to Madame Pomfrey?" He asked politely.

Zoe looked towards the boys, then up at him and shook her head. "I think this best stay between us." She said, then nodded firmly as though deciding.

He chuckled again. "A woman who wants to deal with her own problems, interesting." He said, then gave her a hand up and collected her things for her. "I will warn you though, he will be back for you, and I might not be there to save you next time."

Zoe looked into his eyes. "I know." She answered. "Since you've saved me twice now, do I get a name?" She asked.

He cocked his head a moment. "Not yet." He said cockily. "But maybe third times the charm for you." He said with a laugh as he turned away.

Zoe snorted. "I hope there is no third time." She said under her breath as she stiffly walked the rest of the way to Gryffindor Tower.

When she finally reached it, she gave the Fat Lady the password, but had to make up a story before the portrait would allow her entrance. Finally she got in, only to see the entire group of Marauder's and her sister, sitting in front of the fire.

She looked towards the Girls Dorm, and decided to make a run for it, pretending she couldn't hear the group as they called her name.

When she reached the dorm, all she could think about was sleep, so she closed her curtains, lay down, and just hoped she could think a lot better tomorrow then she seemed to be doing right then.

* * *

><p>The next morning she woke up and peeked out of her curtains. Thankfully it looked like everyone was gone. She stood and headed for the bathroom, and ran smack into Lily Evan's - Miss. fix-it herself - walking out.<p>

"What in the bloody hell happened?" Lily demanded as she saw the mess that was Zoe's face.

Zoe looked towards the dorm door and yanked Lily towards the bathroom. "You can't say anything." She snarled at the poor girl, ignoring the mirror.

"You have to go to a teacher." The girl argued.

Zoe felt her eyes turn cold. "I'm only going to warn you once, _stay out of it_. I don't want the Professor's or anyone else knowing about this."

Lily watched the girls eyes ice over and felt a small jolt of real fear at such a sight. _This girl could be _very_ dangerous._ She thought to herself. But then she shook herself out of it and nodded. "But you have to hide those or everyone will know, even if I don't say anything."

Zoe snarled out a curse as Lily reminded her of _that_ little snarl.

Lily sighed. "Lucky you I know how to hide it." She said as she raced to her bed then came back with a bag. "Cosmetics."

Zoe cocked an eyebrow, "Aren't you going to be late for class."

Lily shrugged. "It's ok this once." She said.

Zoe smiled, then winced, and sat without another word.

Lily carefully feathered the brush over the girl's cheek, trying to ignore the wince that sent a sympathetic pain threw her. Finally she'd covered the bruising on the girls face and shoulders, as well as her wrist, but she couldn't do anything for the rest. "You just have to make sure you don't take off the long sleeves around anyone, or they will know right away." She informed her.

Zoe nodded. "Thank you Lily." She said softly. "And I'm sorry I scared you, I just have to deal with this on my own." She whispered with a nod.

Lily nodded back. "I understand." She answered back. "Time for Breakfast." She said and headed downstairs, heart heavy at the thought of Zoe dealing with such things with no help.

* * *

><p>For the next few months, everyone in Gryffindor knew that something was off. Many thought it must be the coming match against Hufflepuff, but only two people actually knew the <em>true<em> source.

Lily had come down the stairs in a daze the first time she'd seen Zoe's face so messed up, indecision strong in her heart. Zoe came down afterwards, flinching from everyone, even her own sister. This caused Dawn pain, and she lashed out at the boys. The boys were confused about the whole thing, so they did the only thing they knew how to do. James and Sirius picked more fights with Slytherin then normal, Peter watched, and Remus withdrew more than usual. Anya just tried to keep everything calm.

* * *

><p>Finally, one Saturday morning - after Lily had helped Zoe not once, but seven more times, and that was just the ones she'd actually <em>caught<em> - she could hold everything in no longer, and instead of going down to breakfast, she marched up to her head of house. "I need to speak to Headmaster Dumbledore." She informed a very surprise Professor McGonagall.

"And why would a young lady such as yourself need to do something like that?" The professor asked.

Lily looked down. "I can't tell you." She informed the teacher. "But it's quite important and I really hope you'll help."

The Professor gave the child a studious look, then shrugged and walked out, motioning for the child to follow.

Finally the Professor and the child stood in front of a rather large Eagle statue. Lily looked up at Professor McGonagall, but before she could ask what they were doing, the Professor spoke. "Gumdrops." She said, and the eagle began turning. Lily looked at the Professor, but she only nodded, so Lily stepped onto the first step and slowly ascended to the Headmaster's office.

She stood timidly in front of the door, and when she finally gained the courage to knock, she heard a voice inside tell her to enter. She stepped forward and pressed the door open, finally seeing the inside of Headmaster Dumbledore's office.

"Well don't just stand there like a frozen doe," She heard a kind voice say, laughing at a joke that only he understood. "come in and tell me that which is troubling you so."

Lily couldn't hold back her small gasp, and she saw the Headmaster's eyes twinkly slightly in that way of his that said he knew things mere mortals couldn't possible hope to ever understand.

"Yes young lady?" he asked, patiently prodding her.

Lily gulped. "I have a problem."

The Headmaster smiled. "And a dire one if your face is anything to go by."

"Well," the poor girl whispered with a gulp. "I have a friend, and she returned one night with bruises, but she made me promise not to tell anyone about them, but then she keeps getting new ones, and so I don't know what to do and I don't know who to tell and it's all so confusing andineedhelp." She said, rushing the last part out on her last puff of air.

"Well, this _is_ a problem." The Headmaster agreed. "But the school can't do anything about it unless she comes forward herself. And we can't force help on her."

Lily's face fell. "Then what should I do?" She demanded softly.

"Well," The Headmaster said with a quick look out the window. "The biggest thing you can do is make sure she's not alone, and be there when she finally _does_ decide to talk."

Lily huffed a breath in and out, then nodded. "Thank you sir." She whispered.

"No problem young lady." He said, a twinkle in his eye. "Now, I believe there is a Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match about to begin." He finished, walking with her towards the door. "Wouldn't want to miss that."

Lily smiled. "No, we wouldn't." She answered, following the Headmaster out.

* * *

><p>Zoe shook her head at the thought of all the nonsense from the small party they'd had in honor of James and Sirius almost win against Hufflepuff for the last match before Christmas.<p>

They'd all snuck in the kitchen - Dawn, Anya, Ashley, Anthony, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and her - and the House Elves had already prepared a nice chocolate cake - probably thanks to Dawn since it'd become her new tradition to do so - and they'd all celebrated with cake and smuggled Butterbeers, though how the boys had managed that no one knew and they weren't telling. How the boys had found the Kitchen was a mystery to her as well, but it seemed like they'd started finding a lot of different things that no one else knew about.

The whole thing made her smile a bit. The thought of hanging with the Marauders, and Ashley, at the same time still made it feel a bit surreal, who'd have thought that Ashley Marie would be able to hang with the infamous Marauders, certainly not her. There was also her sneaking suspicion that Ashley and Remus would one day hook up, if they ever designated to notice each other.

Most thought they hated one another, which only made her want to smirk. Remus and Ashley fought continually, about everything, and they did it without even speaking to each other. She wasn't even sure if they had actually noticed each other for real, but something in them just drew the other without even the realization that it was happening.

There was also Dawn, she seemed to have bonded so thoroughly with the Marauders that she was almost one of them. All of the little adventures those boys had, she was almost positive they let Dawn, and now Anya, in on most of them.

She shook her head at the thought. She remembered clearly last year when she'd cornered James and Sirius over the little mishap with Slytherin that Dawn had been a part of.

Of course the fact that it went so wrong was the biggest reason she was so pissed. If the whole thing had worked, they never would have got caught and no one would have known Dawn was in on it.

Not that the little talk she'd had with them had help. She couldn't exactly get after the boys on a regular basis, especially since it was probably Dawn demanding to be let in on the whole thing. How could one yell at a bunch of boys for giving in to such a persuasive girl? She couldn't, it wouldn't be right.

Zoe rolled over in bed, trying to get comfortable and clear her head of all the thoughts. She fell asleep doing just that.


	7. Nothing Is As It Seems

"Falling asleep in class again." Ashley said, poking Zoe in the side.

Zoe shot up. "No." She said quickly looking down at her notes to make sure she hadn't drooled or anything.

"What had you up so late?" She asked.

Zoe scoffed. "Maybe I'm just bored, this is History of Magic after all, like the most boring class of them all."

Ashley scoffed right back. "Yeah, ok." She said, then looked at the paper. "What's that?" She asked curiously.

Zoe looked down at the paper and saw the cover-up that coated it. She quickly whipped it off then shrugged. "Nothing." She snapped.

Zoe watched Ashley go back to whatever she'd been doing _before_ so rudely waking her up.

"Hey, don't get mad at me that you can't even stay awake for your last two classes before break." Ashley said, hands rose in surrender.

Zoe glanced down. "I'm sorry. It's not you I'm so mad about, it's break coming up and all."

Ashley gave her an arched brow. "You know you never told me where it is you go during Christmas."

Zoe shrugged. "I stay with Dawn and them during the majority of my Christmas, but for a few days I go to my Mum's. But that's not it, I'm used to that part."

Ashley gave her the keep going look and Zoe had to smile.

"I just had a late night last night, that's all. Couldn't get to sleep and everything and it's making me odd." Zoe explained.

Ashley nodded as though she understood, but she clearly didn't.

Before she could ask for Zoe to continue, class was dismissed and Zoe had to rush to Herbology, or at least that's what she told Ashley.

Zoe made it to Herbology before anyone else, so she chooses a seat in the back of Greenhouse Two, hoping it would keep everyone away. She'd lied to Ashley, it was her mum that had given her the sleepless nights for the past few days - that and the new bruises the Carrow Brute had given her - but she wouldn't let her friend know that, it would worry her and she wouldn't do that.

She'd been so in her head she hadn't noticed the little Hufflepuff who sat beside her until he said hello, and he'd had to say it several times before she even caught _that_.

"Oh, hi." She said, turning to the kid. He was a cute kid, in an _I want to pinch your cheeks and get you a juice box_ kind of way. He was short with blond hair and brown eyes and he was a true Hufflepuff.

She could only pray this class got over much quicker than the class before it.

When she was finally able to leave, she escaped before anyone else and ended up in the dormitory before anyone could wonder what was wrong.

* * *

><p>Zoe had fallen asleep sometime between class getting out and dinner ending, so she'd had no chance to eat, something that wasn't anything new for her, if she really thought about it.<p>

She finished packing all of her belongings for the trip home and snuck out of the Gryffindor Common Room down to the kitchen. She tickled the little pear in the fruit bowl picture and walked in. She sat down at the place by the fire the House Elves had been kind enough to put out for her once they realized she tended to skip dinner.

There was one Elf in particular, House Elf Fritzy, that always made sure the fire was going - especially on the last day before Christmas Break when she knew Zoe was at her worse - and a pillow on a wonderfully comfortable chair. She even made sure there was warm tea on for whenever Zoe came in as well.

It made her smile, that someone who didn't have to, could be so kind. Unlike most House Elves, Hogwarts House Elves didn't get mistreated, they didn't have to worry about getting kicked out on the street either, so they didn't _have_ to be particularly pleasant to any specific student, they _chose_ to.

Zoe smiled as Fritzy ushered her to the high-backed seat with the comfortable pillow. Once she sat, Fritzy rushed off to get her the tea, honey, and lemon juice and, a lot of lemon juice, just like she liked it. Fritzy knew that because she'd actually _asked_, another thing that amazed Zoe. As she sipped her tea, Fritzy went to get her a plate of food.

"Here's your food Ms. Zoe, is there anything else Ms. Zoe would like?" Fritzy asked.

Zoe shook her head, smiling her gratitude at Fritzy, trying to show in her own way, that Zoe was thankful.

Fritzy smiled back, acknowledgment in her eyes. "Then Ms. Zoe won't mind if Ms. Fritzy goes about her chores."

Zoe shook her head. "No, I don't mind Ms. Fritzy." She said, then went back to her food.

Once she was done she set her plate aside and picked up her teacup, which Fritzy had, of course, warmed and refilled for her.

She sat staring at the flames, thoughts of her mum, Malfoy, and Amycus running threw her head nonstop. So it came as no surprise that someone was able to sneak up on her.

"Watch it." Zoe scowled as she turned around to see who'd almost made her drop her tea.

"Is Ms. Zoe ok?" Sirius heard one of the House Elves demand as Zoe herself spun around and almost spilt her tea all over them both.

He turned to see a cute little Elf standing protectively beside Zoe.

"I'm fine." Zoe told the elf.

"Does Ms. Zoe want some more tea?" The elf asked.

Zoe nodded pleasantly. "I would love some Ms. Fritzy."

The elf nodded, taking Zoe's teacup and walking away, a glare for Sirius as she walked away.

Sirius laughed. "You have a protector." He said, motioning for one of the Elves to bring him a chair.

Zoe watched Sirius motion for a chair, but he actually _thanked_ the Elf after he'd been brought one. That was a surprise.

Sirius looked back to Zoe with a smile, but her eyes held such sadness that the smile disappeared quickly. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Zoe shrugged. "Christmas Break." She said softly.

Sirius nodded in understanding. "Your family's as bad as mine then." He said softly.

Zoe shrugged once more, not saying anything.

By this time Fritzy had come back and given Zoe another glass of tea, bestowing Sirius with _another_ glare before she walked away.

"Is your family not nice then?" Zoe asked quietly.

Sirius thought a moment on how to answer, but the truth seemed the best policy. "My parents are a bit, harsh I suppose." He answered.

Zoe nodded. "Yes, that's a _wonderful_ word."

Sirius laughed mirthlessly at that. "I have a brother who's going to be here next year."

Zoe looked at him. "Is he anything like you?" She asked.

Sirius shook his head.

Zoe cracked a slight smile. "Neither are my sister and I."

"That's obvious." He said with a smile. "If you ever need to get away from that place, not even right now, just ever, get a hold of me and I'll help." He said softly, then stood to leave.

Zoe stood and grabbed his arm. She looked at the floor, then back at him. "Thanks." She said simply.

He stared into her face, and, for the first time, noticed a dark shadow marring her cheek.

"No one ever understands." She finished with a shrug, then released him and sat back down, teacup back in hand, and staring at the fire once more.

Sirius looked at the girl for a while, and knew he'd never be able to forget the sad picture she presented in that moment. Alone and fragile, looking almost broken, and yet with straight back and shoulders, holding up under the strain. She sat like a princess who was using every weapon in her small arsenal to keep from folding under the pressure that seemed to push at her. He sighed at the sight and turned to leave, the shadow completely forgotten.


	8. Christmas Break And A Change

**Christmas Break**

Sirius stepped onto the Hogwarts Express behind James, and followed them to whichever compartment they choose.

"So, we're going to all meet up at my place and compare maps, right?" James finished the statement with a question, unsure if Sirius was even listening.

Sirius nodded, but it was Remus who answered. "Two days after Christmas we will head to your place and build the ultimate map based on our smaller, singular maps of each part of the castle we drew up."

"And who's doing the drawings?" James asked.

"Dawn said she would, she's a wonderful artist and we don't have to worry about her telling anyone any of our secrets." Remus answered.

James nodded, "Then we can start charming when we get back to school, Anya said she'd help with that." He said, then poked Sirius to be sure he'd heard. When he was sure everyone knew the plan, he turned his mind to other things.

Sirius had only been _half_ listening of course. He was too busy thinking over what he'd seen yesterday at the kitchens. Not the picture she'd made, but the black stain marring her cheekbone. He didn't know what it could have been. She avoided makeup, so it couldn't have been that. But it might have been ink, or something from parchment. But for some reason, that felt wrong.

The whole way home he contemplated what he'd seen. He'd finally decided to catch her on the platform. But when he'd gotten off the train, he'd seen her walking to a beautiful couple standing to the side, and for some reason he hated them on sight.

The woman had black hair and piercing eyes that seemed to miss nothing. She was beautiful, but so was his crazy cousin Bella. A blond man stood beside her, equally as attractive as the woman, and equally as cold. There was a girl between them. She had blond hair and blue eyes and a light began burning in those eyes the moment she picked out Zoe from the crowd.

He watched her walk up to the couple. They each put a hand on the girls shoulder, it didn't look loving. Then the blond girl wrapped her hands around Zoe's wrist and they all disappeared. He didn't know why, but that sight made him think more of a prison then a family.

Then he noticed his own family and sighed. He didn't have any

room to talk.

* * *

><p><strong>December 24th, 1970<strong>

Acantha sat silently at the dinner table as her mother and father discussed, what they referred to as, business while her nine year old half-sister silently ate. The ten year old child knew that it was Christmas Eve, and that her other half-sister was probably opening a present and having a special dinner at the moment. All she could feel was relief that her wonderfully, sweet sister was able to have _that_, rather than the hell that was her and Oribelle's Christmas Eve.

"Acantha." Her mother snapped. "Why are you ignoring me?" She demanded.

She turned to her mother. "My apologies mother, what was it you were saying?"

Her mother rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter now, so head to bed." Her mother waited a moment, then "Now." she snapped.

The girl flinched then nodded, "Yes ma'am." She said and headed upstairs, her younger sister, Oribelle, and her mother's voice following her up.

* * *

><p><strong>December 27th, 1972<strong>

Sirius knocked on the Potter's door two days after Christmas, just as had been decided. James opened the door and ushered him upstairs, where Remus, Dawn and Anya already sat, waiting.

"How was everyone's Christmas?" He asked conversationally.

James smiled, Remus and Anya shrugged, and Dawn just kind of did this whole head shake, frown, vague hand wave thing. This worried Sirius for a moment. At least until Zoe walked in, looking just fine, normal even.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Sirius said with a smile.

Zoe shrugged. "Yeah, well I decided if Dawn and Anya were coming I might as well tag along, since Dad and Julia were going to some party thing, and I didn't want to be home alone." She explained. "I'm not planning on hanging in here why you do whatever secret stuff your planning, no worries. Mrs. Potter said she'd help me with something I asked about earlier, so have fun." She finished. Sirius watched her walk over to Dawn, hold out her hand, grab whatever Dawn had given her, and then walk out.

James just gave a slight shrug and then promptly forgot all about it. Sirius frowned over it a moment, then also shrugged, deciding he wouldn't learn anything at the moment.

* * *

><p>Zoe walked away as quickly as possible, the pendant she'd given to Dawn to hold, rolling around in her hands. She hadn't expected to see Sirius this early. James had said he usually came later at night because of his parents.<p>

Even though the bruises from Carrow had healed, she'd gained others. Thankfully the others hadn't noticed the pain, well other than Dawn, but she hadn't known the full extent of anything, so Zoe hadn't worried about discovery. But Sirius was different. If she went by his words and body language, he had the same type of problems as she, and he'd realize and understand immediately.

Zoe finally found Mrs. Potter and nodded that she was ready. The older woman nodded and led Zoe away from Mr. Potter and to an empty room.

"Just sit on the bed dear, we will have you fixed up in no time at all." Mrs. Potter said gently.

Zoe shrugged out of her long sleeve shirt, she wore only a tank top beneath. "How did you know?" She asked softly.

Mrs. Potter pulled a pot of salve type stuff from her apron pocket and gently placed it on the old and new bruises and scrapes. "I know other children who have the same issues. If your around them enough, you recognize the symptoms quicker than most."

Zoe nodded slightly.

"No worry dear." Mrs. Potter said gently. "I promise not to tell any of them, not even your sister, nor father."

Zoe turned her head to look at the wonderful woman a moment, "Thank you." She whispered.

Mrs. Potter nodded. "Anytime dear." She said, just as gently as she said and did everything else. "Just know that _any _time you need something, whether it's a place to stay or healing, come here and I will help. No questions asked and without informing anyone until you're ready."

Zoe turned, tears barely held back, and threw herself into the wonderful woman's arms. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Mrs. Potter was an intuitive woman and she'd been around long enough to know that children like Zoe rarely wanted to touch or be touched. So the fact that she was hugging her said it all.

She wished she could help this child further, just as she wished she could save another, but sometimes no matter how much you wished, it didn't happen. For now she could only help the child with the pain.


	9. Meddling Monsters

**Semester Two**

Zoe stepped on to the train for her Second Semester of her Second Year, a slight smile and no aches for once. It was all thanks to James' wonderful mum. She quickly found Ashley sitting in a compartment to herself. She sat down with a rare smile on her face, and of course, she had to question it.

"Why are you so happy-go-lucky, sunlight coming out of your ass?" Ashley asked irritably as she leaned her head against the window.

Zoe smiled. "Just feeling good for once." She finished.

Ashley looked up, brow cocked slightly, and confused expression on her face. "No pain?"

Zoe shook her head with a smile.

"No bruises?" She asked.

Zoe shook her head again.

"And no breaks?" She asked once more, a slight smile touching her lips.

Zoe bit her lip, trying not to smile like an imbecile. "Nope." She said.

Ashley's face lit up with a full on smile and she wrapped her arms around Zoe in a strangling hug. "I can't believe it. How'd it happen?" Ash asked as she let go and hauled Zoe down on the seat next to her.

Zoe smiled. "I met a wonderfully nice lady who made me feel all better." She explained. "She has this wonderful poultice that gets rid of the pains and heals the bruising up really well."

"That's..." Ashley shook her head in amazement. "Amazing." She finished.

Zoe laughed. "Isn't it though." She finished.

The rest of the trip they talked back and forth happily. Neither worried about what would be coming next. Zoe's horrible parents. Ashley's own horrible secrets. Anything else that could possibly go wrong. All they cared about was the moment they were in right then, and that both were feeling things other than pain.

* * *

><p>Ashley and Zoe walked arm in arm to the carriages. They shared one with Anya and Dawn, and they all talked compatibly. When they finally reached the Great Hall, Ashley and Zoe separated with a quick hug and Zoe followed Anya and Dawn to the Gryffindor table.<p>

They had their back-to-school dinner and headed to bed to get enough sleep for classes next day. Surprise, surprise.

* * *

><p>The next day, Zoe woke up bright and early, stretched with a smile, and headed off to class with a smile. Nothing could ruin today for her.<p>

* * *

><p>That night Zoe was sitting finishing her homework, when her mother's Eagle Owl, Izabal, flew through the open window into Gryffindor tower and landed beside her.<p>

Zoe arched a brow and carefully reached for the note tied to the owl's foot. She grabbed it and quickly snatched her hand back before the owl could do more than rip into the meaty part of her hand, doing less damage than usual.

She unrolled the letter as the bird flew off.

* * *

><p>Sirius ran downstairs as he heard a screech of anger. He was followed by James, Remus, Anya, and Dawn.<p>

* * *

><p>Zoe turned on whoever was coming down the stairs, wanting to do real damage to whomever was planning on intruding on her moment of anger. Unfortunately for them it happened to be one of the targets of said anger.<p>

"Did you hear?" Zoe demanded at the group in general, but talking to only one of them in particular.

"Hear what?" Remus asked hesitantly, seeing the anger on the girls face.

Zoe stalked up to the boys, shoving James, Remus, and even Dawn from the path as she stalked up to Sirius and shoved the message into his hand - lucky for Anya, she'd quickly backed up the moment she noticed Zoe's face. Before Sirius could actually read the letter, another owl, this one a Great Horned Owl that looked just as mean as her mother's owl Izabal, swooped in through the same opened window.

Sirius grimaced as it landed on his outstretched arm and dug its claws into the poor boys arm. He wrenched the message from the bird's foot and shooed the bird away. The bird left, leaving only four deep grooves in the boy's arm.

Zoe rolled her eyes and did a quick healing spell as Sirius opened his own message. She knew the minute his eyes widened that he'd read the same thing she had.

"No." Was all the surprised boy could manage to say. But he got his words back much quicker than anyone had anticipated. "They can't do this. Are they mental? Do they think people still _do_ this? They are crazy. It'd never work. We don't even _like_ each other."

Zoe rolled her eyes at the boy's dramatics. "Well, they are our parent's, and I don't know if yours says it, but mine proves that it is very much so legal, and done."

"What's done?" Dawn asked in confusion.

Zoe rolled her eyes, not wishing to tell her sister, but knowing there was no choice.

"Him and I" She said as she pointed to each as she spoke of them.

"are officially" she paused and sucked in a huge breath.

"betrothed." She finished with a wince.

* * *

><p>"You know, you can't avoid the boy forever." This from Ashley a week after she'd learned the horrifying news.<p>

"It's true." Dawn put in her two senses.

And then, "It's not 'is vault that you parent'z are crazy enough to try and betrove the two ov you." from Anya.

Zoe rolled her eyes a bit. "Yes, but I _can_ avoid him for a little while, at least until I get over this whole thing." And with that, she went back to her homework.

* * *

><p>Finally, after two more weeks of her avoiding anything to do with Sirius, it seemed everyone had decided they'd had enough.<p>

"Hey there Zo's." She heard Ashley say from down the hall as she rushed forward.

Zoe cocked an eyebrow. "Hey Ash." She answered suspiciously. "What's up?"

Ashley grinned. "I need some help with some stuff." She explained.

Zoe nodded in confusion. "Ooh kay... Lead the way." She said, gesturing forward with her hand.

Ashley smiled and skipped off, Zoe following after at a slower pace.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her up around the waist and hauled her into an empty classroom. They dropped her and ran. She turned, flung every spell she'd ever learned at the door, and when that didn't work, she started kicking and pounding at it in anger.

She froze when she heard a cough behind her. She slowly turned and found herself face to face with none other than Sirius Orion Black, the same boy she'd been avoiding for the past three weeks.

"I see they decided they were tired off the tension." He said with a laugh.

Zoe shook her head. "You find this funny?" She demanded angrily.

Sirius smirked. "Don't you?" He asked.

"How can this be funny?" She asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Honestly, I don't blame them." He explained. "You have been making it kind of miserable."

Zoe's mouth popped open angrily. "Me, making it miserable?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes."

"How so?" She demanded, flinging a spell once more at the door, just wishing to escape the whole thing.

Sirius snorted. "Think about it, you're letting one little order from the higher-ups make you uncomfortable." He explained. "Ignore it, and them, and you'll be much happier."

Zoe did some of her own snorting at this point. "Do you _know_ what you're asking?" She demanded.

Sirius nodded. "Completely." He told her in a deadpan voice. "You'll learn that all their little orders, are just chains they're using to keep you locked down to their way of thinking. That everyone you break, leaves you more and more free from them and their control."

Zoe furrowed her forehead in confusion and surprise. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

Sirius laughed mirthlessly. "Think about it." He told her fiercely. "They want you for one reason, and that's to control you and make you do what _they_ wish. They may have ulterior motives, such as hurting someone you care about, like your father. But they truly do only wish for you to be miserable while they sit around moving you like little chess pieces."

Zoe bit her lip, refusing to allow herself to cry. "Is it really that bad for you?" She asked.

Sirius shrugged.

"I don't want that answer." She told him fiercely. "If you _ever_ expect me to take this _advice_ you seem so keen to dish out, I need a real reason."

Sirius looked towards the door, as though checking to make sure no one was standing near the door, and then he looked back towards Zoe. "My parent's... they are extremist." He explained shortly.

Zoe pursed her lips. "Extremist like refuse to invite muggleborns to dinner, or like scream at you if you speak to one?" She asked.

Sirius chuckled shortly at that. "Like blow you off the family tree because you were seen conversing with one companionably."

Zoe smirked a bit at that, then nodded as though to say _go on_, which she was.

"Well, I don't exactly agree with them, which tends to cause a lot of arguments." He continued. "But the first time I ever completely disobeyed, even in something tiny, I suddenly felt a bit lighter, like they didn't control me as thoroughly as they had before."

Zoe looked towards the door, but instead of trying to open the stupid thing, she looked back towards Sirius.

"Finally, after a while, I just stopped caring, completely, what came out of their putrid mouths." He sneered.

Zoe pursed her lips harder. "My family, it's a lot more complicated than one would think." She tried to explain without explaining.

Sirius nodded in understanding. "Family usually is, especially families as messed up as ours." He told her in understanding. "But that doesn't mean you can't fight it. Because you can. You really can." He paused. "Even if it's only little things, such as ignoring this stupid betrothal. Trust me, it will set you free." With that, he turned and sat himself down on one of the desks.

Zoe looked around, having no idea what to say, or even think about everything Sirius had told her. But she couldn't ignore it, because he was right and she knew it.

She spun around to face him. "So you're saying, just ignore the stupid thing, and let it all dissipate on its own."

Sirius nodded. "And piss off the higher-ups without actually allowing them the pleasure of being able to do a damn thing about it."

Zoe smiled slightly at that, then she nodded. "But if this doesn't work, and they force the issue... you're a great person, no doubt about it, but I don't think I'm capable of loving." She finished, a single tear streaking down her check.

Sirius smiled slightly as he walked towards her. "No worries," he said as he wrapped her in a tight hug. "I promise, if it comes to that, I'm gone so fast you won't even know how it happened." He told her as he rocked her while stroking her back.

Zoe sighed one last time, then stepped back. "You're right." She told him. "They can't control me unless I allow it, and I just won't allow it."

Sirius nodded at her. "So, are we done with the avoid Sirius thing then?"

Zoe snorted. "Yeah, we're done with the avoid Sirius thing." She said with a smile.

Suddenly, the door popped open and they both turned to see an empty doorway. Sirius and Zoe looked towards one another and started laughing. They walked out arm in arm, talking like old friends.


	10. Some More Of Their Past

**August 25th, 1971**

Sirius ducked his head in resignation. He'd actually hoped he wouldn't get accepted to Hogwarts.

If he went there, he'd have to worry about half-blood and Muggleborn's hating him if they heard about his family and assumed he was the same.

He'd _also_ have to worry about all the Purebloods figuring he'd be like them and hating him when they learned he wasn't.

Would it even be possible to find any friends at this place? Well at least he'd be away from his parents, for a time.

* * *

><p><strong>August 25th, 1971<strong>

Acantha smiled when she got her Hogwarts letter. Her mum and step-father had been threatening for ages to send her to Beaubaxton or another magic school so she'd be taught how to _properly_ be a Pureblood. Thankfully her father had gotten in the middle of that argument and _informed_ her mother Acantha was going to Hogwarts.

She doubted she'd have many friends, but she'd have her nice half-sister, so that would be good enough for her. At least until they ended up in different houses.

But she wouldn't think about that part now, she'd just think about the fact she was escaping from her demons, and leave the rest alone.


	11. Change

**Third Year**

Everyone walked into the Great Hall, talking happily. They were finally seated when Professor McGonagall brought in the first years.

Zoe automatically noticed a small black haired boy standing towards the back. She looked towards Sirius, and he was looking straight at the boy. In confirmed the suspicions that this was the unknown boy.

She silently waited as two people were quickly sorted, then he was called.

**"Black, Regulus"**

There was about twelve minutes of silence, then the hat screamed...

**Slytherin**.

Zoe looked over at Sirius and saw a slight look of pain cross his face before he covered it with his usual smirk.

She knew that he probably wouldn't say anything, but he was hurting, and she just hoped he'd talk to the boys about it. With that thought, she turned back towards the Headmaster, and tried to listen to his speech.

After the speech, the boys surprised everyone by _not_ pulling any prank. Many figured they just decided to hold off, but Zoe figured it might have been the whole brother thing hammering at him. The boys, understood. This was their way of showing it.

* * *

><p>After the feast and speech and everything, the boys headed up to their dorm.<p>

Sirius flung himself down on his bed. "So boys. Third year has started. That means I need a new challenge."

Remus rolled his eyes. "And what's that?" He asked.

"Girls." Sirius said imperiously.

James sat up and looked at Sirius. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, girls have been throwing themselves our way since like, first year, right?" Sirius stated.

James shrugged. "I suppose." He answered.

"Well, why not throw ourselves back?" Sirius asked.

"How is that a challenge?" Remus asked.

"Just think about it. We will start with Hufflepuff, they got some pretty birds. Not the most intelligent, or crafty, or subtle as other houses, but still attractive. And you have to start somewhere, right?" He finished.

James shrugged. "There's only one girl I want."

Sirius laughed. "Yeah, but she's like perfect and you want to marry her and yadda yadda yadda. Right?"

James shrugged again, "Yeah."

"Well," Sirius started. "Practice makes perfect." He explained.

James shrugged a third time. "I have to think about it." He said, then walked out.

* * *

><p>"Hey, will you go out with me?" Zoe heard James ask Lily <em>once again,<em> this time something was different, it was almost like he was testing something.

"No." Lily said slowly and clearly, enunciating each sound before walking away.

Zoe walked around the bookshelf she'd been standing behind. "You know, the way you're doing it is _all_ wrong."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"Well, simple. She thinks you're a child. And she's not interested in boys at the moment." Zoe explained.

"So what should I do?" He asked.

"What I'm going to tell you is, don't let her rejections get you down. Go out there and have fun, and sooner or later you _might_ actually get through to her." Zoe said, then walked away, hoping she hadn't just ruined that boy.

* * *

><p>Sirius shot up as the door banged open. "Let's do it." He heard James say.<p>

Sirius stood up and gave a whoop of joy.

"So how's this going to work?" Remus asked the two boys.

They all gave him odd, confused looks.

Remus sighed. "What's the challenge to it?"

Sirius and James looked at each other. "Competition." They both said at the same time.

"Ok, rules?" Remus said.

"Lily is off limits." James shot out first.

Sirius nodded. "Lily, Dawn, and Zoe." He said.

Remus and James shared looks.

"What?" Sirius demanded. "Lily is James' and Zoe would **K-I-L-L** us if we tried to sleep with her sister."

Peter gave them all a confused look. "Then why is Zoe off limits?" He asked stupidly.

Remus and James rolled their eyes at Peter's blindness, but it was Sirius who spoke up. "I _dare_ you to hit on her." Was all he said by way of explanation, making James and Remus laugh.

"She _is_ kind of scary." Peter whispered, looking around as though searching for her, almost expecting her to jump from the very walls surrounding him.

James then looked at Remus. "Is there anyone _you_ like?" He asked him.

Remus shrugged. "The only one I don't want you touching is Dawn, and that's because she's like a little sister. If any of the other ones succumb to your charm that's _their_ problem."

Sirius grinned. "If that changes, you'll tell us. Right?" He asked.

Remus grinned at the two boys. **This**_ was real friendship._ "Yeah." He answered. "Promise."

"Good." Sirius said with a nod. "Now then. Let's get some parchment and write down these rules."

"Remus is our referee." James yelled as he rummaged through his trunks, finally finding a clean sheet and a quill.

"Ok." Remus began. "Here are the rules; _We start by house. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and then Gryffindor. If you actually manage to get anyone in Slytherin, that's bonus. If you keep them longer than a month, that's also bonus, because _honestly_ who can stand you two_ _for a month? You have to get something from the girl to prove you have their favor, that's how you get their name under yours. Stealing is ok unless one of the boys makes a solid claim and drop out of the challenge."_

_"Off limits, as stipulated by both challengers. Lily Evans, Dawn Smith, and Zoe Zandria. Spaces shall be left to add name or names in future, depending."_

_"If you are rejected, that name goes into a secondary column and rejected person may not go to the girl for _at least_ a month, but competitor may, and if they are not rejected, that's extra points. If, after that month, you try again and she excepts, also extra points."_

Remus looked up at the two boys and shook his head at them. "You two are such horrible people. You know that right?" He asked.

Sirius and James laughed and nodded.

"Ok. _Do both parties agree to these rules and swear not to cheat?"_ He asked.

Both boys sighed and looked back up.

"Who's going to keep score?" Sirius asked.

Remus rolled his eyes. "I suppose _I_ must." He said with a sigh.

James grinned. "Yupp." Then leapt over to his own bed.

Sirius looked at James. "What changed your mind?" He asked.

James looked at Remus, Sirius, and Peter. "I saw Lily when I left. Asked her out. Got rejected."

"So that decided you?" Remus asked.

James shook his head. "Actually, Zoe told me to get out there and have fun and maybe Lily would notice me when she was ready."

"So you're not going to ask her out anymore?" Peter asked.

James laughed. "Of course I am, but now I can only do it once a month, instead of daily."

Sirius laughed, Remus rolled his eyes, and Peter just looked confused, which in turn made James laugh.

"So…" James said. "Who are you starting with?" He asked Sirius.

"This cute Hufflepuff that always bats her eyes at me." He said with a shrug as he lay back in bed. "What about you?" Sirius asked.

James shrugged. "No idea. I've been so focused on Lily, I kind of missed out on noticing any of the other girls." He answered.

Sirius laughed. "You're in for a big surprise." He said, then flipped onto his side to sleep. James doing basically the same, only in the opposite direction.

The next morning class schedules were being handed out, and to the luck of James and Sirius, they had Charms first with none other than Hufflepuff.

"What luck." Remus drawled sleepily.

"Actually." Dawn started, reaching across Remus to grab a piece of toast. "We have Charms and Potion first and second hour with Hufflepuff." She jellied her toast and popped it into her mouth.

"Vhy?" Anya finished while her best friend chewed. This was how it'd been since Dawn and Anastasiya had bonded so thoroughly last year, they'd started finishing each other's sentences and answering questions for the other person.

Sirius and James shrugged and looked away quickly. Zoe just rolled her eyes and went back to her schedule.

Suddenly someone slammed down their stuff next to her, causing Zoe to almost unseat herself.

"Did you **see** this crap!" Ashley yelled, practically in Zoe's ear.

Zoe closed her eyes a moment. "Actually, at the moment I can't see, nor _hear_ anything, because some **_crazy_** chick decided to scare me half to death then deafen me."

Ashley huffed. "Well, just look at this. You and I have **_no_** classes together."

Zoe looked down at her schedule and noticed that Ashley was right. "Hmm. That's odd. Don't we usually have at least _one_ class together?" She asked.

Ashley huffed again. "DUH! That's why I'm _so_ mad."

Zoe laughed. "I'm sure we will still see each other **_regularly_**. It's not like you and I aren't _friends_ or anything." She said with a bit of eye-rolling at the end.

Ashley huffed again and stole Zoe's schedule. "Well did you notice anything else?" She demanded, waving the schedule around.

Zoe shook her head. "Should I have?" She asked.

Ashley widened her eyes even further, to the amazement of everyone at Gryffindor table _except_ Zoe. "You have _four_ classes with Slytherin."

Zoe snapped her head around and snatched her schedule from Ashley. "No." She said with a sigh of resignation.

"Yes." Ashley said, glowering at the table as they strained to hear what was being said between the ever mysterious Gryffindor and her strangely eccentric Ravenclaw friend.

"What am I going to do?" Zoe demanded. "They are getting _worse._ If that's even possible."

"Let me kick their arse." Ashley said, rather loudly, causing many of the other tables, and especially the Gryffindor, to raise an eyebrow.

"Are you all right Zoe?" Remus asked, finally lifting his head from his book at Ashley's words.

Ashley glared at the boy who'd spoken. "No! She's **_not_** ok you dimwitted buffoon."

James and Sirius both raised eyebrows. _No one_ insulted Remus. He was a nice guy, and tried to stay out of trouble, but he had that scary edge about him that only the Marauder's fully understood.

"_Dimwitted buffoon_." Remus said slowly.

The girl, Ashley, raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Yes." She said slowly. "_Exceedingly. Dimwitted. Buffoon."_

Everyone stared at Remus a moment as he seemed to contemplate the insult. He was actually busy contemplating the girl in front of him. He'd never fully noticed her, she was just Dawn's, sister's, best friend, but she was straight forward, that was sure. "Not bad, childish, but interesting." He said, and a collective breath seemed to be released.

"What are you reading?" Ashley asked him, changing the subject without a thought.

Remus shrugged, "Just a Muggle author." He said, not going into detail.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Ash here is Muggle-born, she'll _actually_ know what you're talking about."

Remus looked her up and down. "Do you know Shakespeare?" He asked.

Ashley smiled and did this little hair thing Zoe had never seen her do before. "Yeah. My favorite is 'Taming of the Shrew' actually."

Remus looked at her again and seemed to come to a decision. "I was partial to The Tempest." He explained.

Ashley smiled a little at that. "What other ones have you read?" She asked.

"Well, Romeo and Juliet, but honestly I found her slightly stupid and him frankly shallow sighted." He explained.

Ashley stood, "I have to get to class, I have Potion's in the dungeon first, but if you want to walk me, I think we have a bit to discuss."

Zoe watched Remus smile and follow after. Ashley turned and gave her a small smile, to which Zoe stuck her tongue out at her, and Ash did the same right back.

"Thanks for the help brat!" Zoe yelled after her.

Ashley waved her hand a bit as though she didn't really hear but she was trying to be polite as her and Remus discussed further.

Zoe smiled a little at that, he needed someone who wouldn't care that he was quite but seemed to get in trouble anyway, and Ash needed someone who wouldn't mind that she was, frankly, insane.

"So." She heard Sirius say as he plopped down beside her, scaring her so bad she almost fell from her seat once more. Luckily he was quick enough to catch her and keep her from a humiliating spill to the ground.

"What Sirius?" Zoe demanded.

"You helping me with Defense, History, Herbology, and Transfig this year…" He asked her with a glint in his eye. "Right?"

Zoe looked down at her schedule, then back at him with a grin. "Well, I can help well enough with Defense, and maybe even Herbology. But honestly, I fall asleep during History, and Transfiguration is my _worst_ subject."

Sirius grinned wider. "That's all right. I will keep you awake during History, and I'll help during Transfig."

Zoe grinned and rolled her eyes a bit. "Thanks."

Sirius shrugged. "Just call it my good deed for the year."

"Will do." Zoe said, then stood quickly. "I forgot Ashley borrowed my lucky quill. I'll see you in class."

Sirius grinned. "Ok, don't forget, your mine for four of our classes."

Zoe smiled softly, "I won't." She said, then headed after Ashley.

* * *

><p>Sirius sat to intercept Remus. "So… is there someone new for the list?" He asked.<p>

Remus glared at Sirius. "We are friends. And anyway, I'm not worried about her, she's more likely to punch you then kiss you."

James laughed as he walked past. "Of course, but you still want us to stay away."

Remus just gave an awkward shrug.

Sirius shrugged himself, but his wasn't awkward, his was decisive. "Doesn't matter. Wouldn't go after her anyways."

Remus gave Sirius a dirty look. "What's wrong with her?" He demanded.

"No." James said with a grimace. "Sirius is right."

Remus looked at James this time. "Again, what's wrong with her?" He demanded.

Sirius laughed. "Best friends with who…"

Peter swung his gaze around, making sure she wasn't in the vicinity before he spoke. "The **_she-demon_**." He muttered.

James snorted at Peter's words. "You're _kidding_ me." He said loudly as he tried to stop laughing. "You're _actually_ terrified of Zoe."

"Who's terrified of me?" Zoe asked as she walked by.

Peter's eyes got super wide as he squawked out "Nothing. Nobody."

Zoe looked over all the boys with curious eyes, but shrugged and kept walking.

"Good move dumbass." Sirius hissed as he stared after her, and noticed the odd way she held her arm.

"What I do?" Peter whined.

Before anyone could answer a cute Hufflepuff stopped in front of Sirius. "Is this seat taken?" She asked.

Sirius looked the girl up and down, forgetting momentarily about Zoe's arm. She was pretty, in a classical way, with blond hair and blue eyes and a perfect figure. He gave her his most charming crooked smile, then nodded.

The girl gave a small pout and turned to leave.

"It's taken by you, love." He said with another of his signature smile, "If you want it."

The girl smiled and sat with a giggle.

James rolled his eye. "Game on."

* * *

><p>Zoe rolled her eyes as she sat in Charms class. She'd heard Peter's comment, but she wasn't sure how to interpret it. Either the boys thought she was some terrifying demon, which didn't bother her… much. Or, and more likely, Peter was just scared of her. She rolled her eyes, <em>not that she cared.<em> She thought to herself.

Anyways, last year, in any class she shared with a Hufflepuff, there was boy who'd seemed infatuated. He was a sweet boy, there was no denying that, but he was just so… well so sweet actually. He'd always sat with her when she'd found herself in a desk alone, and this year didn't seem like it was going to be any different, he'd just proven it.

"Hey Reginald." Zoe said as said Hufflepuff, once again, sat down.

"Hey Zoe." Reginald said with a shy smile.

She guessed he was cute, in that shy, soft-spoken, never raise a hand in your defense, or even his own, kind of way. If blond hair and blue eyes were your thing. But hey, not all guys were Sirius Black.

_Where in the bloody hell did **that** come from?_ Zoe demanded.

**You thought it.** She replied.

_Yeah, but I just mean, because. Well he helps out **any** girl who needs help. _She replied.

**Yeah. Exactly.** She said.

Zoe sucked in a breath sharply. She was arguing with herself. She really _was _crazy.

**No you're not. Just falling hard.** Was her own snarky comeback.

_SHUT UP!_

Zoe waited a minute, and when no more words came, she sucked in another breath.

"Are you ok?" She heard beside her.

"No." She muttered to herself. "I'm talking to myself, definitely not ok." Zoe threw her hand up into the air.

"Yes Ms. Zandria?" Professor Flitwick asked sharply.

"I don't feel well." She explained.

"Well, off to the nurse then." The Professor said, flicking his wand towards the door briskly.

Zoe gathered her things and was headed for the door when she felt someone grab her arm. She looked down and saw the concern etched all over her sister's face, but she couldn't explain unless she wanted to embarrass herself further. So instead, she shrugged and headed out. She'd be able to grab a nap during Double Charms, then hit Potions and lunch and be better.

* * *

><p>Zoe woke to the realization that, not only had she missed Potion and lunch, but she was also going to be late for Transfiguration if she wasn't careful. She rushed to make it before all the good seats were taken, aka near Gryffindor, or even better, the Marauder's… she didn't make it.<p>

She looked around and noticed that Sirius _had_ saved her a seat, unfortunately a Slytherin girl decided she wished to sit there and had sat her rather large posture down. There was only _one_ seat left, and it was next to the Slytherin who'd been tormenting her since her first _ever_ class with him. She'd finally learned his name was Jonathan Jason Warrington. He was a prick in the purest sense of the word.

He patted the seat beside him and Zoe bit her lip, almost deciding to just skip the rest of the day. This would be the stupidest thing she could do. _Don't let thy enemy know thy weakness_, or something like that.

Zoe walked to the seat and sat down. She then proceeded to place ever object she needed on her desk as precisely as possible, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and the vile boy sitting beside her, even if only in her mind.

She glanced at her schedule, and learned she had… wait for it… DOUBLE TRANSFIGURATION. She'd be sitting here for almost two hours with this miserable excuse for a human being, wow, guess she couldn't say thank god it's Friday, could she.

Life was looking bleak, that was for sure.

* * *

><p>Sirius looked back at Zoe for the fifth time and grimaced. They were only half way through class and he could see she was about to blow, as was he if the miserable sod sitting beside her put his hands on her one more time.<p>

Sirius nudged James. "I need your help." He whispered.

James gave him a confused look. "I need you to jinx me, one that will keep anyone except the strongest stomachs away."

"Why?" James whispered.

Sirius nodded his head at Zoe and James looked over at the exact moment the Slytherin _once again _placed his hands on Zoe.

James nodded. "But what about Remus, won't they try to help instead?"

Sirius smiled. "Not if it affects you, me, _and_ Remus." He said with a wink.

James groaned, but caught the Slytherin bugging Zoe again and nodded. "Be ready for this." He whispered.

* * *

><p>Zoe was about to break this kids neck, that's how angry she was getting. She was just about to stand and storm out when she heard a disgusted shriek come from the Marauders corner.<p>

She threw her head up and noticed three of the four Marauders throwing up the entire contents of their lunch. She watched the Slytherin girl throw herself back and Dawn rush forward.

Zoe jumped up and ran over to Sirius.

"What's going on?" She heard McGonagall demand.

"I think it was something they ate." She heard Dawn speak up.

"To the nurse with you three boys." The Professor said with a swish of her hand.

"I don't think they'll make it alone." Dawn explained.

"Fine." McGonagall said with a long suffering sigh. "You, Ms. Tarasov, and Ms. Rattien can help."

"I am _not_ helping with that." The class heard from the Slytherin girl, and the whole class laughed.

Zoe stepped forward. "I will." She said quickly.

McGonagall nodded and waved them out.

* * *

><p>Sirius laughed when they finally got far enough away, and after James reversed the spell.<p>

Remus straightened. "_What_ did you do to me?" He demanded angrily.

Sirius smiled. "Just helping out a friend." He explained.

"How did that help _anyone_?" Dawn demanded.

Before anyone could answer, Zoe spoke up. "Thanks Sirius."

Dawn looked at Zoe with a raised eye, and Anya gave her quick little eye roll.

"Hey, don't thank me, it was James' wand work." Sirius explained.

Finally, everyone decided they would prefer to head to the Common Room, rather than back to class. So, with a laugh, Dawn led the way, everyone following behind her.


	12. Girl's CAN Play Quidditch!

The weekend came quickly, and that meant, Quidditch try-outs.

"Wake up." Dawn sung out as she hopped out of bed.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Why?" She demanded.

"Vecause, you must try out." Anya said, her tone of voice matching what Dawn's would have been if Anya hadn't beaten her to it.

"Why in the hell would I try out?" She demanded. "Last time was a disaster."

Dawn laughed. "Yeah, well the prick graduated, now there's a new Captain, and he's asked for all, including females, who believe they can be an asset to the team to try out."

Zoe arched a brow. "And I suppose you've decided to try out."

Dawn laughed. "Hell no, Anya and I are planning to try out for Commentator again, but we know you'll make it, right Anya."

"Vight." Anya stated, agreeing with Dawn, no surprise there.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "You want me to try out, even though I was so thoroughly humiliated last time?"

Dawn gave her a look. "Duh."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Fine, but when the same thing happens as last time, I'm never trying out again." And with that, Zoe stood and dressed.

Finally she was ready, and she headed down.

"Hey, you going to try out this year?" James called across the room from his seat at the Gryffindor table.

Zoe rolled her eyes as she sat beside Anthony, who was re-trying out for Chaser this year. "Yes, I've been convinced by two harpies that I needed to try out once more, before I quit for good."

"Well then, I can't wait." This from Samual Trainston, the new Quidditch Captain who sat farther down the table.

Zoe nodded his way, then ate her toast in silence. She listened to everyone around her, James and Sirius ribbing each other, Dawn and Anya chatting, and Remus and Ashley doing their lovely little rendition of 'no physical displays'.

Soon, they were all shuffling outside for the Gryffindor Quidditch Tryouts, whether to actually try out, or to just watch.

* * *

><p>Finally everyone stood on the Quidditch Pitch, waiting with bated breath to find out if this captain, was going to be the same as the last captain.<p>

"Hello everyone, my name is Samual Trainston, and I'm your Gryffindor Quidditch Captain this year." The handsome Sixth year boy said congenially. "I'm assuming a few of you - mostly the females - are worried that this year is going to be the same as last year." He continued. "Well, unlike our captain last year, I realized early on that Ravenclaw was killing us, not because of the females or lack of them, but because they pick _the best_ players. And now Gryffindor is going to do the same."

There were a few cheers that cut off the next part of the newest captain's speech, so Trainston waited until silence descended once more before he continued.

"Now, please grab a broom and get into the air, everyone. There are no old players, everyone is trying out, no exception." He finished, then sent everyone up.

After about five minutes of flying around, he called everyone back down.

"Everyone I'm about to send off, it's not because I think you _can't_, it's because I believe you need more practice. So practice up and try-out again next year."

He proceeded to point out those he wanted to stay. Everyone else walked up to the stands, no hard feelings from any, because Trainston was so polite and kind about the whole thing.

Amazingly enough, there were six girl's left, out of ten. There were ten guys, out of the twenty-five who'd come, left as well.

"Ok, now that we have slimed down our huge group, let's get started." He said with a smile. "Now, can I please have everyone separate into what you wish to try out for. Seeker's stand to the right, Keeper's slightly over from them, Beater's to the left, and Chaser's between my Beater's and Keeper's." He finished, pointing each where he wanted them to go.

Finally, they had three trying out for Seeker, four Keepers', four Beaters', and five Chasers'.

"Well, this is a good turnout, if I may say so myself." Trainston said with a smile. "Now, let's start with our Keepers'." He said, sending one of his Keeper try-outs into the air, then sending James up to test the boy.

That continued for each of the Keepers', then switched, the Chasers' had to try and put the ball threw the hoops as each Keeper protected it.

Finally he sent the Beaters' and Seekers' up, letting the balls loose for each. Finally he called everyone down and stood, each group standing calmly in front of the captain.

"Now, I don't want you to think just because you aren't chosen, that it means you weren't good enough. As I told the people I first sent away, it just means you need more practice." The poor boy sucked in a huge breath of air, then slowly let it out. "Ok, here goes."

Seeker: Jasmine Severn

Chaser: Anthony Craigon  
>Chaser: James Potter<p>

Beater: Sirius Black  
>Beater: Acantha Zandria<p>

Keeper: Elizabeth Wood

Reserve...

Seeker: Richard Sampson

Chaser: Rachel Anderson

Beater: Jared Lynton

Keeper: Riana Anderson

"Now, remember, just because you aren't playing this year, does _not_ mean you won't play next year." And with that, he allowed everyone to leave.

Zoe stood, motionless, as everyone left. She'd been unable to move ever since Trainston had called her name as Beater, and she'd actually realized it was her name the man was calling.

Finally, she realized her group was crowding her, congratulating her, and patting her on the back.

"You made it." Was the first thing she really realized being said, this from Dawn.

"Well now, I see we will be competing against one another here shortly." This from Ashley, of course.

"Congratulation vriend." This from Anya.

Finally she let a smile loose. "Thank you, I can't believe it actually happened."

Sirius laughed. "Well now, I guess you and I are going to be working together now." He said.

Zoe smiled. "Yeah, but I'm going to have to talk to the Captain about calling me Acantha, I hate that name."

From behind her she heard. "I suppose I can call you Zoe instead." The boy said behind her.

Zoe turned with a smile. "I think that would be much appreciated." She answered.

The boy gave a cocky smile. "Can I speak to you," he paused and looked at the group, "alone?" He asked, almost timidly.

Zoe furrowed her brows slightly, but nodded. When they were far enough away she turned to the boy. "If you are about to kick me off the team already, I think I might object."

The boy's expression turned to shock, and he shook his head. "No, not at all. I have… have a question."

Zoe cocked an eyebrow. "Well, I imagine I have an answer." She said saucily.

The boy gulped a bit, then "I wanted to know if you'd be willing to accompany me to Hogsmead." He gasped out quietly.

Zoe cocked an eyebrow, then smiled sweetly. "That sounds great." She answered.

The boy licked his lips nervously, then smiled. "Ok then, Hogsmead this weekend it is."

* * *

><p>The morning of the Hogsmead trip, Zoe woke up about fifteen minutes before the rest of the girls. She took a shower, making sure to clean and condition her hair completely. She finally stepped out, the girls waking noises coming from the next room. She did a quick drying spell on her hair and placed it in her usual high ponytail, only this time she curled the hair coming out of the tail.<p>

She came out of the bathroom, hair and makeup already done, towel wrapped tightly around her torso.

"Wow." This coming from Mary McDonald, one of Lily's best friends.

Everyone else turned and saw what Mary had just seen, a transformed Zoe.

"Who knew you could clean up that well." Dawn said with a laugh.

"She alvays 'ad potential." Anya said with a shrug, then turned back to rummaging in her chest. Finally she pulled something out and tossed it to Zoe.

Zoe felt the cloth smack against her chest, she caught it and held it at arm's length. It was a piece of black material, tight and slinky. It was sleeveless, with a whole to show cleavage.

"You want _me_ to wear _this?"_ Zoe asked the crazy girl.

"Ves, ov course." The girl said with a laugh. "Viz thoze gorgeouz dark Muggle jeanz you revuse to vear."

Zoe bit her lip, then grabbed the jeans Anya was talking about and rushed to the bathroom, grabbing her favorite bra and panties set on the way. When she'd finally figured out how to put all the girly crap on, she smoothed her hands over it and looked in the mirror, only to double take at her reflection.

She finally walked out, to many cat calls and whistles from all of the girls.

"I told you zhe 'ad potential." The girl muttered once more, then sauntered out the dorm door.

Zoe looked down, her curly pony falling over her shoulder to shield her crimson face. Finally she shrugged and flung her hair back with a move Ashley had once shown her on a Muggle movie. With a smile, she followed Anya, her own saunter fiercer than normal.

She finally entered the Great Hall, only to wish she hadn't.

* * *

><p>Sirius looked up when he felt James elbow connect with his ribs. James ignored his scowl and pointed towards the door. Sirius looked up, and felt his mouth pop open. There stood Zoe, in all her dressed up glory.<p>

She stood in a pair of dark jeans, that didn't hide much from the imagination, a shirt that was clearly made to accentuate, and a face made-up… just right.

She walked over and sat herself down, not even noticing the stares. "Hand me a piece of toast will you." She threw at Remus.

Remus picked up a piece of toast, a bowl of cranberry jam, and a knife - the last two without being asked.

"Thank you." Zoe said, lathering the jam on her toast as she hunched down further, finally noticing the leers from the many surrounding her. "Why are they staring?" She finally demanded.

"Vecause you are gorgeous." Anya said loudly, staring down those that couldn't seem to look away from the Gryffindor table.

Finally, Professor McGonagall called for all Third Years and above to meet her at the front hall where she would collect permission slips. Her and her friends filed out where they separated and found their own dates and groups.

Zoe looked around, and finally spotted Samual walking up to her.

"Good morning." The boy said politely.

Zoe smirked. "Good morning. How are you?"

"Ready for this date to be…" the boy stopped.

"No worries, no need to be nervous, I promise I don't bite." She informed Samual with a smirk.

The two walked up to McGonagall and handed their permission slips over, then headed for Hogsmead.

"So, do you have any hobbies?" The boy asked nervously.

Zoe smiled again. "I have quite a few hobbies, but honestly, this is a date, so let's stop being so nervous, hit the Three Broomsticks, and grab a Butterbeer, then we can get to know each other."

The boy smiled, "Great idea." He said with a smile. "You should be the nervous one here." He said with a laugh at himself. "I'm supposed to be the older guy asking the pretty girl out. Instead, you calm and collected, and I'm the nervous one."

Zoe smiled. "I'm nervous, you just can't tell." She told the boy sweetly, trying to elevate some of his tension.

Finally they made it to the Three Broomsticks, walked in, and grabbed a table in the back.

For the next few hours they got to know one another, and by the end of the date, she knew it wouldn't work, and she was pretty sure he knew as well.

They were headed back to the castle when she decided to speak up.

"I know you won't want to hear this, but I think you already know." She said softly.

The boy nodded and smiled softly. "I had a lot of fun," He said softly. "but I agree." He finished.

"We can still be friends? Correct?" She asked softly.

He nodded.

Zoe smiled. "And I have a suggestion."

The boy cocked his head.

"Ask her out." She said with a wink.

"Who?" He asked.

"Jasmine Severin." Zoe answered. "She looks at you the same way you look at her." She finished, then turned back towards the castle.

Samual stood there for a moment in stunned disbelief, then quickly ran to catch up. "Do you think so?" He demanded as they kept walking.

Zoe smiled. "Yeah, I do." She answered with a laugh as they finally reached the castle door.

* * *

><p>Sirius was sitting against a column when he saw Zoe and <em>Samual<em> walk up to the doors, Sam laughing at something Zoe said, Zoe smirking. They were standing by the door, neither seeming to want to walk in first, when all of the sudden Zoe leaned up on tip toes and kissed Samual on the cheek.

Sirius grit his teeth, an odd feeling washing through him at the sight. He didn't know what it was, not jealousy, it couldn't be jealousy, but something.

He watched the two walk into the school, Samual's arm flung around Zoe's shoulder.

He ground his teeth harder. Then he blinked, letting it all go with a sigh of breath. He finally stood and walked into the castle, looking for his best friends and Marauder pals, hoping they'd have something distracting for him to do. There had to be some prank, some mischief they could pull.

With that thought in mind, he headed in.

First game of the year, Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, and it was going to be interesting. Not because Gryffindor was worried about winning or losing, but because there was some inner team problems.

The Beaters were in a terrible argument over respecting ones privacy.

The Seeker and Captain couldn't seem to stop snogging.

One of the Chasers's kept trying to catch glimpses of a girl he was crushing hard on.

And the Keeper and _one _of the Chasers were the only players in the game who were completely focused.

Finally, the whistle blew and the game started.

* * *

><p><strong>Well now, ladies and gentlemen, it is Ggrryyyfffinndddooorrr verses Huffllleeeeppppuuufffff. And the match begins as the whistle is blown. <strong>Dawn the Commentator yelled out over the speaker.

**Only twenty five seconds into the game and our wonderful Chaser James Potter has scored.**

**Oh, and did you see our own Sirius Black smack that Bludger, unfortunately it was right at our other Beater, miss. Acantha Zandria. **_Ladies and Gentlemen, she's going to kill me later for that._ **Anyways, back to the game.**

**It seems Hufflepuff - what _is_ a Hufflepuff anyways - has earned themselves a goal. How did that get past our wonderful Elizabeth Wood?**

In the background McGonagall could be heard ranting at Dawn for not being fair.

**My apologize ladies and gentlemen, I must be fair.**

**Any who, back to the game. I see Zandria has smacked the Bludger away from Severin just in the nick of time, that would have _sucked_ if our Seeker was out.**

**Potter has the Quaffle, he passes to Craigon, and back to Potter, then to Trainston, and Trainston SCORES.**

**Now Hufflepuff has the ball, Kirkly to Keagen, OH, and did you see Craigon steal that one.**

**Oh, and look Black has hit _another_ _Bludger_ at Zandria. I wonder _what is going on._**

**Now, Trainston with the Quaffle, then Potter - look, he's being chased by Craft - is it just me or do all the Hufflepuff Chaser's name start with K?**

Once more, McGonagall was berating Dawn.

**Vadies and Gentlemen, Liz will ve vack in a moment. She's veing vludgend vight now.**

**So, Gryvvindor take the Quavvle vrom Huvvlepuvv, but oh no, a Vludger knocks Craigon zidevayz. He narrovly mizzez valling ov hiz broom, but dropz the Quavvle, and Huvvlepuvv pickz it up.**

**Oh, vut iz thiz? I vink Zeverin haz zeen the Znitch. Vere zhe goez.**

**Zhe'z head to head vith Huvvlepuvv Zeeker Jenkinz. Look at that dive. It'z pervect.**

**Vey are noze to noze, dropping vast. Oh, vut I vink Jenkinz iz pulling up. And Zeverin haz the Znitch. And Grivvindor Vinz!**

**Well, ladies and gentlemen **this from Dawn, sounding quite out of breath. **What a wonderful game. Gryffindor wins 310 to 90. **

**Next game Ggrryyyfffffffiiiinnndddooor versus .**

**See you all then.**

* * *

><p>Zoe touched down, only to run straight at Sirius. "What in the hell was that?" She demanded hotly.<p>

Sirius arched a brow. "What was what?" He asked innocently.

"You tried to **_BLUDGEN ME_**_!"_ She shouted.

Sirius cocked his head. "I did not, it just went a little haywire." He explained.

Zoe's nostrils flared slightly. "You know what, I don't know what in the bloody hell your problem is, but whatever it is, get over it before the Slytherin match, or we are going to have issues." She finished the last and stalked off, not even waiting for congratulations.

* * *

><p>For another few months, Sirius and Zoe ignored each other completely. Finally, one night, everyone got tired of it and locked the two in a broom cupboard.<p>

"You can come out when you are friends again." Dawn shouted threw the door as she walked off.

Zoe spent about five minutes pounding on the door before she finally gave up and slammed herself into the sitting position. "What now?" She demanded.

Sirius snorted. "What, you think just because I'm a Marauder, I know how to get out of these kinds of things?"

Zoe glared at the stupid boy. "No, but I suppose since you spend so much time in these stupid things, you'd probably know how to GET OUT." She shouted the last part, trying to throw her anger into the words, and only partially succeeding.

Sirius said nothing, and Zoe did likewise.

"Gah, why are you so infuriating?" Sirius finally demanded after about five minutes of silence.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because a certain individual - that would be you - tried to knock me off my broom." She threw back at him.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I did _not_ try to knock you off your broom, it was an accident. The stupid Bludger was out of control." He snarled at her.

"Yeah, well, then maybe I just don't want to see your face at the moment." She finally shot at him, making him flinch.

Sirius threw his hands up in the air, but hit the top of the cupboard, so he turned angrily towards her. "You know what, you are so stupid sometimes. You don't see what's right in front of you." He snarled. "You don't understand that we all care about you and notice that something _is_ up." And with that he slumped down and put his head in his hands.

Zoe bit her lip, guilt washing over her. She knew she couldn't tell anyone about what was going on, but she couldn't lash out at them because they didn't know either.

"I'm... sorry." She finally bit out. "I know it's not your fault, I have stuff I'm dealing with, and I just need to deal with it in my own way." She noticed him perking up to speak, but cut him off. "That means _without_ help."

Sirius nodded. "I understand," he said. "but if you need me, I'm there." He whispered the last, and she nodded in understanding. Then they both sat, backs resting against the cupboard walls, and waited to be released.

When the door finally opened, the young people outside saw two young people inside - her head laying on his shoulder - sleeping peacefully, arms twined together.


	13. Hogsmead?

"So, second Hogsmead weekend this year, coming up in two days." Zoe heard Ashley say happily as she sat beside her at dinner that night.

Zoe shrugged. "Yeah. So?"

"Well, did we have any plans?" Ashley asked.

Zoe shook her head. "I was going to stay here and pretend I know what I'm doing for my Transfiguration homework."

"So you aren't going with Trainston?" Ashley asked cautiously.

Zoe shook her head. "Like I said, Transfig, and his name is Samual." She responded. "Anyways, him and I didn't make it past our first date, remember. He's dating Jasmine now… did you forget already?" Zoe demanded.

Ashley giggled a little at that, and Zoe brought her head up to see exactly what she was giggling at. She noticed the Marauders come in, and Zoe was pretty sure it wasn't James, Sirius, or Peter she was giggling over.

"You ok Ash?" Zoe asked.

Ashley shrugged. "Of course I'm ok." She said, a little _to_ forcefully, then a guilty look descended across her face. "Sorry, minds gone." She said as she picked at Zoe's food, which really irked the girl.

"Hey Ash." James said as he sat down across and slightly to the right of Zoe.

"Hey James." Ash answered, in no way giggly, which only reinforced Zoe's opinion.

"You going to Hogsmead?" Sirius asked as he popped one of Zoe's chips in his mouth.

Ashley shrugged. "That's _this_ weekend?" She asked.

Zoe looked at her with surprise written all over her face, completely forgetting in her shock, that she was irritated at the people who kept picking at her food. Ashley ignored her.

"Yeah." Remus piped up, not lifting his head from whatever book he was reading now.

"I don't know, I should probably stay and help Zoe with her Transfiguration." Ashley said with a shrug and a bit of hair playing.

Zoe knew she probably had this weird mix of surprise, exasperation, and eye-rolling type expression on her face, but she couldn't help it.

"Dammit." Remus said, surprising everyone at the table. He gave a sheepish look, "I stabbed myself." He explained, waiving his hand a bit.

Sirius looked from Remus to Ashley and back, then a slow grin appeared. "I'll help her, I owe her for last year's DA anyways." Sirius said quickly.

Ashley blinked a couple times. "Well, she's kind of the only one who allows herself to be drug threw the bookstore." Ashley explained.

James caught on to what Sirius was doing immediately, and smiled. "Take Remus. He _always_ drags us threw that stupid place, he'd _love_ to go."

Remus looked up. "I would?" He asked. Then shook his head. "I would." He said, more assuredly this time. "I would love to, if you don't mind me asking about some of your better Muggle authors that is."

Ashley smiled and did some half shrug, smile, shy thing Zoe hadn't ever seen before either. "I'd love to." She said, then looked back to the plate Zoe had finally slammed in front of her.

"Great." Remus said a bit too quickly. "It's a date." He said, then froze. "A non-date, date. That is." He said shakily.

Ashley smiled. "Perfect." She said, then stood and left, not even bothering to eat anything Zoe had placed in front of her.

"W-o-w." Sirius said slowly, and _loudly_. "That wasn't a freakfest at all."

Dawn slammed her elbow into his ribs. "Be nice." She demanded harshly as Anya chuckled.

Sirius threw up his hands in surrender. "Hey. I'm not saying it's bad, just odd."

Zoe sat forward so only Remus could hear her. "Do you like her?" She asked.

Remus shrugged.

"Well, when you find out -" Zoe paused for a moment. "Just realize she's a good person underneath all her oddness." She finished with a wink and stood, heading for the Library.

* * *

><p>That Friday, Zoe ran towards Charms class, late. Unfortunately someone else was late as well.<p>

"Hello my pretty little bird." She heard none other than Amycus Carrow whisper in her ear after grabbing her arm and wrenching her back into his chest.

Zoe sighed. "Oh, I can't believe I didn't _smell_ you." She threw at him as she tried to wrench her arm back.

That was one thing about Amycus, he may not look all muscled, but he was definitely hiding strength under all that fat of his.

"Well, well, well. I see you haven't lost that tongue of yours." He said as he blew against the back of her neck.

Zoe stiffened, hating the feeling that it always gave her, the one that reminded of her mother standing behind her. "I'm going to be late." She said stiffly as she finally wrenched her arm away. She winced slightly, feeling the bruising that would definitely be black by tonight. "Goodbye." She said as she turned and stomped away.

She heard a laugh behind her. "I'll be seeing you, just like I promised." He said sweetly, reminding her of a creepy stalker. She shook off the feeling as she took off towards Charms.

* * *

><p>Zoe gave a sigh of relief and absently rubbed at the bruise on her arm as she finally sat in her last class of the day, History of Magic. She'd beaten everyone to class, having rushed from Herbology to escape the Slytherin stares she'd been receiving all day. At least now she could save a seat for Sirius and wouldn't have to worry about any of the girl's she'd been basically fighting all day. <em>When had Sirius become such a top item on every females list?<em>

She was rummaging through her bag. It wasn't until she sat up and almost fell back over in surprise, that she realized someone had sat beside her.

"That seats taken." She informed the greasy Slytherin sitting beside her. She then turned to her other side. "As is that one." She informed the Slytherin on her other side.

"By whom?" The first Slytherin asked.

"Not you." She informed him, acid in her voice.

The second Slytherin lifted up and dropped a piece of her bangs that were hanging over her eyes. "You really should stop surrounding yourself with filth you know." He informed her.

She rolled her eyes. "You know, just because my mother happens to be a Muggle hater, doesn't mean I do. And the Marauders aren't filth."

The first Slytherin snickered. "If your mother could see you now."

"Right at this moment, she'd probably say I was sitting with those beneath me." Zoe informed the two Slytherin. "And I'm _not_ talking about the Marauders."

The second Slytherin got his back up a bit at this and grasped her already bruised arm, causing her to wince. "You'll learn your place." He informed her as he stroked the sleeve of her robes and pressed harshly on her bruise, as though he knew it was there.

* * *

><p>Sirius had walked in with James, Remus, Peter, Dawn, and Anya when he'd noticed the Slytherin surrounding Zoe. He noticed one grab her arm and he saw the immediate wince that came to her face. He angrily stalked forward, noticing with each stroke of the boys thumb, her face seemed to pale.<p>

"Yeah, well her place isn't with you." He informed the boys as he heard one of them threaten her.

The Slytherin turned and dropped his hand, stepping back slightly in fear. "You can't touch us." The first Slytherin said quickly.

"You want to bet?" Sirius asked with a cocked brow.

"Your nothing more than filth, surrounding yourself with filth." The first Slytherin snarled. "You could be so much better. You're a Pureblood."

Sirius scoffed at the words he'd heard most of his life. "I am better, and it isn't because I'm _pure_." He informed the two, reaching for Zoe, but making sure he didn't grab her upper arm. He picked up her bag and book from the floor. "Now, we're leaving. Have a good class." He finished as he led her away.

"What was that about?" Dawn asked when Zoe sat between her and Sirius.

Zoe shrugged, saying nothing.

"You ok?" Anya asked from beside Dawn.

Zoe nodded, flipping through her book and trying to forget the little incident. Because she knew she wouldn't, couldn't actually, tell them anything.

Sirius couldn't keep from staring at her. There was something she was hiding, and it wasn't just the odd behavior of the majority of the Slytherin House.

All through class Zoe kept her head down, ignoring everything, even the professor. She doodled a bit on the page of notes she was trying to write, but all in all it was an unproductive class, just as all the classes with Slytherin had been today.

* * *

><p>That night Zoe sat in the Library, trying to concentrate on her assignments, when Sirius marched up to her. "What happened to your arm?" He demanded without ceremony.<p>

Zoe looked up, then glanced at her arm, making sure her sleeve was still down. "Nothing." She said quickly after being sure her sleeve still covered the bruising.

Sirius arched a brow but said nothing, instead he stood and walked away without a backward glance.

Zoe browsed the library after that, trying to find the last book she needed to finish the essay before she had to head to her dorm for the night. She was so far back in the library she didn't realize it was empty until she was cornered in between two shelves with no one around to call out to.

"What do you want?" She asked the Fifth Year Slytherin standing directly in front of her.

"Well," the white haired Slytherin said shortly. "I wanted to extend my protection once more to such a beautiful little Pureblood."

Zoe scoffed. "Why?" She demanded.

"Your mother and my father are old friends and your mother asked if I'd watch out for you." He explained.

Zoe glared at the boy. "Well, thanks but no thanks." She said, repeating what she'd said the year before.

The pale haired boy grinned but said nothing more and just walked away. She had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time she saw that boy, he'd likely be around quite often if she wasn't mistaken.


	14. The Mystery Revealed well some

The next day was Saturday. Every third year and above was in a rush to finish with breakfast so they could get down to Hogsmead with their dates or friends. Everyone, that was, except for Zoe. She hadn't slept the night before, not that it was a surprise, and now she was irritable.

She had just stood to head to the common room, when Professor McGonagall walked up to her. "Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to speak to you in his office dear." She said, a bit of sympathy in her gaze. The older woman leaned forward so only Zoe could hear the next bit. "The password is Fairy Dust, and I'd advise you to brace yourself." And with that the woman walked off.

The boys looked at Zoe strangely, but she merely shrugged and headed for the Headmaster's office.

She quickly reached the gargoyle and whispered the password. She'd ridden up the moving stairs and now stood outside the Headmaster's office, silently debating on whether she'd go inside or not. Her choice was taken when the door swung inwards.

"Come in my dear." She heard Dumbledore's voice inside.

Zoe walked inside and seated herself on a chair, unsure what was going on, but refusing to ask.

"I'm guessing you're wondering why you're here." Dumbledore said.

Zoe nodded, but kept silent.

"I've noticed you're... problems with the Slytherin." He explained, but held up a hand when she began to speak up. "I already know you will _not_ say anything, and I do not ask you too. There are some things we must do on our own, and even though help is offered, we will never take it."

Zoe bit her lip at his words.

"How much do you know about why they continue to dog your steps?" Dumbledore asked.

Zoe shrugged. "They know of my mother, and I'm assuming their parent's told them to get to know me." She answered.

Dumbledore nodded. "This may be true, but it's not _only_ because of who your mother is."

Zoe's eyebrows creased in confusion.

Dumbledore smiled, but quickly sobered. "How much do you know about prophecies?" He asked.

Zoe shrugged. "A Seer _sees_ something of significant, and then she reports it. It's kept in a special sphere in the Department of Mystery, and only the holder of the Prophecy, or who the Prophecy speaks of, may handle the sphere." She told him.

Dumbledore nodded.

"What does this have to do with the Slytherin?" She asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "Sometimes, a Seer's prophecy is seen by those it's not meant for, and when this happens there is usually a mix-up when it comes to _who_ the prophecies about." He told her.

"Do I have a Prophecy?" She asked timidly.

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "It's complicated." He told her. "The telling is not something many could handle, and it may disrupt your life severely. Even knowing all this, if you wish to know the story, I shall share it."

Zoe sat, biting her lip in indecision. Not that she didn't know what she'd say, there was no question. "Please tell me."

* * *

><p>Zoe waved at the departing Ashley and Remus - sad and yet not as she remembered Dumbledore's words, but she knew she'd do anything in her power to protect her best friend, this was just one of those things. She turned to James and Sirius, who'd been standing beside her as they waved the couple away. "Now," She said as she turned. "I have to hit the library and pick up a few books. I'll meet you two Transfig genius's in the Common Room." Zoe informed the two and set off.<p>

She'd just got done at the library when she was cornered. _Wow, you'd think someone who hangs around the Library so much, would at least have a teaspoon worth of intelligence._

"Hello my pretty looks like it's just you and me." She heard before she was snatched into the air.

Sirius had had enough with waiting, so he and James had set off for the Library to hurry Zoe along.

James heard it first, and Sirius not long after. They'd both assumed it was nothing more than a fight between a couple of boys, unfortunately they were wrong.

Sirius came around the corner to a terrifying, and stunning, sight. Zoe was pinned against the wall by her throat, her feet kicking and her hands scratching at her attacker. The boy holding her up had blood dripping down his face, his other arm was dead at his side, his clothes were torn and bloody, and when he turned to the new arrivals, they could see the other side of his face looked like raw meat.

Zoe heard feet running as she struggled in vain to get Amycus' meaty paws from around her throat. She'd taken a lot of the skin off with her nails, and she'd landed a solid blow to his face with her knees, but everything had begun getting fuzzy. Black spots were appearing. A headache started. And suddenly she felt herself hit the floor. She sucked in lungful of air so quickly that she made herself lightheaded.

Sirius dropped to his knees as James chased after the Slytherin. Zoe's outer robe was several inches away, her shirt slightly ripped - it had probably happened when she'd fallen and it had caught on the bricks - and he could see bruising on her arm. Her cheek was black and she had a lovely ring around her throat.

The last thing she saw was Sirius' face above her as she tried to keep the dizziness back.

* * *

><p>Zoe opened her eyes and she was laying on a couch in the Common Room with Sirius and James staring down at her. She smiled at the pair and tried to sit up. She felt woozy, slightly, but other than that she was fine after her latest confrontation with Carrow. The boys weren't.<p>

"How long?" Sirius asked softly.

Zoe gave him her best innocently stupid look. "What?"

"Oh don't play coy." This from James. "What in the hell are you doing not telling us your being harassed _that_ bad by Slytherin."

Zoe growled slightly. "I don't _need_ your help." She snarled back, reacting negatively to the tone in his voice.

"Oh," James snarled back, "clearly not. You had that _all_ under control, didn't you."

Sirius just stood back as James and Zoe cursed at each other. He couldn't believe he'd ignored it. He'd _known_ there was something off about her cheek last Christmas. And Friday, he'd _known_ there was something wrong with her arm, but he'd ignored it.

Finally he couldn't hold in the anger any longer, he stood and lashed out at the closest thing, which just happened to be the fireplace.

Zoe jumped as Sirius suddenly stood and punched the brick behind him. She heard James gasp as blood steadily dripped from his hand, pooling around his feet. She sat up and threw herself forward - ripping at the bottom of her skirt - wrapping his hand as she reached him.

"Are you _insane?"_ James yelled some more. "You're _all_ insane!"He shouted once more, answering his own question.

"It's not your fault." Zoe whispered softly against Sirius' chest.

Sirius scoffed. "But I _knew_ something was wrong, and I ignored it."

Zoe smiled. "No, I made it seem unimportant, because it is."

"You getting thrown around by a guy three times your size is unimportant?" He demanded softly.

Zoe ducked her head so she could look into his down-turned eyes. "I'm handling it." She informed him. "I can't have you constantly saving me."

Sirius' nostrils flared in anger, but finally he breathed out a breath of air, and calmed.

Before anyone could say anything else, people started pouring into the Common Room. Zoe's eyes widened and she looked around. She shouldn't have worried though. James and Sirius stationed themselves on each side of her, blocking her from view, and walked her up to their dorm.

* * *

><p>The next morning came bright and early for her. The boys had decided - while she'd been sleeping snug and warm in Sirius' bed and he shacked up on the floor - that she needed help, and they were the ones to give it to her.<p>

"I don't know what to say to her." Sirius whispered irritably. "I'm not a freaking girl."

"Well, you're the one who _understands_ what she's going through." James whispered back. "Everyone expected you in Slytherin, and you're in Gryffindor, just like her."

"So." Sirius snarled. "_I'm_ not a _girl_."

Zoe couldn't hold back the scoff, and finally sat up. "I don't need help, you two." She told them.

James snorted. "Yeah, ok." He told her in an unbelieving voice.

"He doesn't mean it like that." Sirius told her, glaring at James to shut up. "He's just saying that maybe you could tell us what's going on and then we can help resolve the issue." He told her, sounding more diplomatic then she'd ever heard him sound before.

Zoe laughed. "It's nothing major boys." She told them lightly. "The Slytherin are just mad that I'm a Pureblood who doesn't believe in there idiocy." She explained off-handedly as she stood. "Now, I'm going to head to my own dorm and get my Homework, because unlike you two, I actually have to do work on Sunday's." And with that she walked out of the room.

When she reached her own dorm room, she quickly shook Lily awake. "I need your help." She whispered.

Lily nodded and ushered the girl into the bathroom. She pulled out her wand and did the healing spell she'd taught herself for just such an occasion, and then turned to leave.

"Wait." Zoe said self-consciously. "Can I... talk to you?" She asked.

Lily smiled to herself, but wiped it from her face before turning and seating herself on the floor, back leaning against the wall.

Zoe slid down to sit beside her. "So, I've a complicated life." She began. "You see, I just learned about this prophecy thingy that says; _a hidden Pureblood of two lines shall be born, she shall wed a hidden Pureblood of the other two line and they shall have the first of two Pureblood children of all four lines. The first of the two shall have the power of _sight_, she shall see and know and save those that would otherwise perish. The second of the two shall be the first's daughter, she shall be less powerful then her mother, but no less important._" Zoe paused.

"Is that you?" Lily asked.

Zoe laughed, and then shook her head. "No." She said.

Lily looked on in complete confusion. "I don't understand then."

Zoe laughed harder. "You see, that's why it's so brilliant." She explained, but soon sobered. "Everyone assumes that it'll be my daughter who marries the son of two lines to have a daughter of all four, but it's not."

Lily looked at the girl as though she might have grown an extra head, completely confused where this was going.

"You see, my parents were given this prophecy because the Seer who first saw the prophecy, was _willingly_ intercepted by another. The second Seer was not nearly as accomplished a Seer as the original, so when she saw a last name, _my last name_, she automatically assumed I must be connected." Zoe explained.

"Are you?" Lily asked unsure.

Zoe laughed. "Of course I am." She told her. "But not in the way the Seer assumed."

Lily looked like her head might explode with the confusion clouding it. "I don't understand." She said once more.

Zoe smiled. "Ashley Marie is a Pureblood who was placed in a Muggle family when she was a tiny baby, to keep her from an unknown evil wizard's sight. She never knew she was a Pureblood until her parent's came seeking her last summer."

Lily gapped. "Are you telling me that you are constantly being beaten half to death, because you were mistaken in a prophecy that's about your _best friend_?" Lily demanded.

Zoe nodded.

Lily gapped. "Why don't you just tell them you aren't who they want?"

Zoe shook her head. "If they know its Ashley, she'll get the same treatment I am now, and she couldn't survive it." She explained.

"_You_ aren't going to survive it Zoe!" Lily said angrily.

Zoe laughed mirthlessly. "If _these_ weak attempts were the worst I'd ever been given, that might be true." She told the naïve girl.

Lily looked at her strangely. "I don't understand."

Zoe sighed, she wasn't fond of whining about her problems, but Lily deserved answers. "My step-father tends to practice the _Crucio curse_ on me. My mother's more inventive."

Lily's mouth dropped open. "You _have_ to report this."

Zoe snorted. "Yeah, so I can be pulled from the only good place and disappear with the monsters, not likely."

Lily didn't know what to say. The only thing she had to deal with was a hateful sister, and that was _nothing_ like what Zoe was going through. Lily sucked in a huge breath, and slowly let it out. "Well, I've learned a few healing spells this year, and if you need them, let me know." She told the girl, a soft smile on her lips. "And if you need to talk, I'm here." With those last words, Lily stood and walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs to breakfast.

Zoe sat there for a while before also heading down to breakfast.

* * *

><p>Later on the boys found Zoe completely healed and writing an essay in the Gryffindor Common Room as though nothing had happened. The boys didn't know what to do. They couldn't force her to open up and let them help, but they couldn't just let other's continue beating her up either.<p>

"Are you two going to stand there and stare, or are you going to come over here and sit down so I can get some help on this stupid potions homework?" Zoe finally demanded, making both boys - who were positive she didn't know they were there - jump in surprise.

James finally shrugged and walked forward. "What's up?" He asked as he seated himself beside her.

Zoe sighed. "I'm supposed to tell about the last stupid potion we made." She explained. "Unfortunately, I blew up my cauldron... again, last Potion's class."

Sirius snorted as he too sat down. Threw the afternoon, they proceeded to tell her about the potion assignment. By 4:30 all homework was done and they were ready for Quidditch practice.


	15. Slytherin vs Gryffindor

**Ladies and Gentlemen...** Dawn's voice could be heard above the cheers of the crowd. **The match we've all been waiting for... versus !** Dawn screamed happily. The entire stadium burst into screams and cheers.

Meanwhile, Zoe, Sirius, and the rest of the team were listening to Samual's game plan. They all knew that Slytherin was going to be harsh, underhanded, and mean, but they'd had warning the Slytherin had something extra planned. Samual figured it would probably have something to do with either the Seeker, or the Keeper. Either way, they needed to keep their eyes open and ready.

"Ready team?" Samual asked finally.

The entire Gryffindor team nodded at their Captain. Jasmine quickly kissed her boyfriend, telling him to worry about nothing but making the goals, and to let her worry about the Snitch. James was messing with the other Chaser and the Keeper, trying to lighten the somber mood. Sirius glanced at Zoe, who gave him a quick wink.

"Ok team, let's go." He said, and they all lined up behind the door to follow their Captain and Seeker.

**Who's pumped up?** Dawn was asking. The entire stadium cheered. **Good, because this is the last game before the break, and I may not be a Seer, but I have a feeling it's going to be bloody.** She told everyone, dragging a laugh from many.

**Out comes The Slytherin team, Captain and Keeper is Vanity. Beaters would be Carrow and Crabbe... Hmmmm... Interesting.** They could hear McGonagall berating her. **Fine... Chasers are Avery, Lestrange, and Pucey. And Seeker is Malfoy.** It was clear she didn't care for that particular boy too much; of course, she quickly got over it when Gryffindor walked out. **Our Gryffindor Team! **Lots of screams **Captain and one of our three Chasers, Trainston. The other two of course is Potter and Craigon. Beaters are Black and Zandria... MY SISTER!** _Sorry McGonagall and Zoe._** Keeper is the Lovely Wood, and Seeker, the beautiful Severn.**

Samual walked up to the Slytherin Captain and shook hands, the later gripping as tight as possible, the former not even flinching. After Samual stepped back and threw his leg over his broom, they all shot into the air at once.

**The Snitch is released first, the bludger's now, and the Quaffle is in hand. **The Quaffle was thrown into the air. **And the game begins!**

**Slytherin Chaser Pucey grabs the Quaffle first. He tosses it to Lestrange, who races towards Wood. He throws it and WOOD BLOCKS!** There were a lot of cheers and a few boo's. **Now Potter has the Quaffle and he tosses it to Craigon!**

As Dawn yelled this, someone sent the first Bludger at Zoe. She wiped her head around angrily, and stared straight into Carrow's eyes. He merely winked at her and rode off.

**OH MY! LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE'S TARGETING OUR BEATER BLACK! **Zoe heard Dawn scream angrily.

Zoe spun around and noticed both Crabbe and Carrow swinging the Bludger's at Sirius, who was barely blocking. She raced towards him and quickly smacked one of the Bludger's away and towards the Slytherin Seeker. When the Slytherin Beater's noticed she'd shown up, they raced away. Zoe looked to Sirius, who merely shrugged and flew off.

**HEY! THAT BLOODY PRICK! **Zoe suddenly heard Dawn screech angrily over McGonagall's angry tirade. She swung around and noticed Crabbe hitting a Bludger towards the Commentator box. _Bloody hell, the Slytherin tactic had nothing to do with the game_. She cursed as Sirius barely made it in time to hit the ball away from Dawn and Anya and back towards the field.

Zoe scanned the field, looking for Carrow. He'd be targeting someone soon. She noticed him scanning the Gryffindor Stands until his eyes landed on a girl with bright red hair. Zoe cursed as she shot towards the pair. Carrow was lining up the ball as Zoe shot up towards them. He hit it and she knew they were both screwed. It was decision time, let Lily get hurt, or get rid of the Bludger. Of course, there was no contest. She shot up, and then there was nothing.

Lily glanced up and met the eyes of an evil looking boy in Slytherin Green. He winked at her before hitting one of the Bludger's at her. Her eyes widened as she shoved the kids in front of her to the ground, but before her very eyes, Zoe rose from somewhere below and the ball smashed into her. Lily screamed as Zoe's eyes rolled up into her head.

Dawn glanced up as she heard someone in Gryffindor scream. She watched wide eyed as Zoe was hit with a Bludger and flung from her broom.

Sirius had also heard the scream. He glanced up just as Carrow hit the ball. He'd seen Zoe flying towards it and knew she was about to do something stupid. He cursed as he saw the ball hit her in the chest and fling her against the stands.

Lily quickly grabbed for Zoe's robes as she began to slide down. She felt the girl slipping, but suddenly there was a boy beside her. He was dark skinned and eyed, with a Slytherin green tie. Lily looked into the boys eyes, and quickly released Zoe. The boy lifted her up and over the railing and onto the safety of the stands. He laid her on top of the seat and pulled away.

"Wait." Lily said quickly, glancing back up at the boy. "Who do I say helped?" She asked.

The boy smiled. "Just tell her it was an odd Slytherin with no name, she'll know." He told her before turning and walking away.

Lily sighed but quickly glanced back down at her friend. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" She asked the girl, who would have no idea what she'd said, but it still made Lily feel better.

* * *

><p>Zoe slowly came awake to the sounds of soft talking to her left. "They can't take her away." She heard someone gasp out.<p>

She opened her eyes, but quickly shut them as she realized it was _way_ too bright. "Can someone turn off the lights?" She demanded irritably.

She heard a gasp beside her, and suddenly she was bombarded. She gasped in pain and the weight quickly left. "I'm sorry, it's just... I thought you'd _never_ wake up." She heard someone, clearly Dawn, sob.

Zoe opened her eyes. "What _are_ you talking about?" She demanded, putting her hand up to shield the brightness as she slowly opened her eyes. She could barely make out a few bleary shapes standing and sitting around her bed.

"What do you remember?" She heard a soft voice, definitely Lily, ask timidly.

Zoe thought back. "We were in the locker room debating what the Slytherin plot could be." She explained. "Did I feint?" She wondered, not wanting the answer. _How embarrassing if she'd feinted in front of her team mates, they'd never look at her the same._

When no one answered, she removed her hand from her eyes and looked at them. Their faces came into focus, and she could read the shock in all their eyes.

"You don't remember _anything else_?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"What more was there?" She demanded irritably, trying to sit up, but gasped in pain as a horrible band felt like it constricted her chest. She threw herself out of bed at this, ignoring as everyone tried to keep her there. She felt wobbly, as though she hadn't used any of her muscles in a while. _What in the hell?_ "What happened to me?" She demanded.

"Oh, you're awake." She heard someone say behind her.

Zoe glanced around her to find Madame Pomfrey standing behind her. "How long have I been out?" She asked, slightly worried about the answer.

"Well almost three weeks dearie." The nurse answered. "Much longer and we'd have sent you to Saint Mungo's." The woman said with a soft smile.

Zoe gapped at the woman. "Did I sleep threw the Christmas Break?" She asked, making sure to keep the hope out of her voice.

Madame Pomfrey laughed lyrically. "No, you woke up just in time." She informed the girl. "Train leaves this Friday, in only two days."

Zoe smiled, keeping the pain from her face at that thought. "Lovely, can't wait." She said as she gracefully sat in the seat beside the bed.

"Well, I think Ms. Zandria needs some rest. You may all come back after dinner." She informed the group.

Zoe watched everyone but Sirius walk out.

"Mr. Black, I can't have you bugging her." She informed the boy.

"I promise I'll sit here silently and finish my homework." He told the nurse. "I'll even make sure she gets to sleep."

Madame Pomfrey looked the boy over before smiling. "I suppose, but only this once." She said before ushering the young girl back to bed. She headed to her office, quickly glancing back and feeling a smile grace her lips at the sight of the boy sitting at the girl's side. _They'd make an amazing couple when they get older._

* * *

><p>Two days later Zoe was let out of the Hospital Wing. Lily had packed her belongings for her, and Dawn had helped her down to the train. While she'd been in the hospital, she'd learned what had happened at the game - though the huge black bruise on her chest tipped her off that <em>something<em> had happened - and she'd also learned she'd died. For someone like her, she was only irked it hadn't stuck. Well, to Christmas with the monsters.


	16. Christmas Break And A Secret

**Christmas Break**

Zoe sat in her room, staring out the window and trying to gain the courage to go to the Potter's house, but knowing that she wouldn't. She remembered the kindness the woman had shown her, and how she'd told her she could come anytime, but if her mum found out she would be in trouble.

Zoe sighed, _she couldn't keep doing this. When was she going to be able to escape these horrid people?_

Unbeknownst to her, _he_ was thinking the same thing.

_When am I going to escape these people and their horrid way of thinking?_

"Sirius!" He heard his mother screech. "Downstairs, now!"

Sirius stood from the window with a sigh and headed for the stairs. He met his brother, who was exiting his own room, about two steps from his bedroom door. "Hey Reggie."

His brother shook his head. "You realize your persistence with being different is the reason she yells at you so much."

Sirius shrugged. "Yeah, but if I wasn't different, there would be nothing of interest in this entire household." He told his brother smartly.

Regulus merely nodded at his brother's words, refusing to answer the challenge he knew were held in them. _He wasn't his brother, no matter how much he wished otherwise._

* * *

><p><strong>December 23, 1972<strong>

"You can't go without me." Her ten year old sister said as she collected her things.

Zoe looked down at her sister. At one time she would have refused to leave her behind, but that was before. _Before_ she'd learned just how evil that little girl was. "I'm sorry Or."

The girl's nostrils flared. "That _is not_ my name." She said angrily.

Zoe bit her lip, holding back the tears she wanted to shed for the little one. "I know." She answered before turning and walking out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>December 23, 1974<strong>

Sirius sat beside his brother Regulus as they waited for the rest of his family to arrive. One would think his parents would realize he absolutely hated the rest of his family, and yet they still forced him to pretend he enjoyed this farce of a party.

His family began trickling in. First came a few aunts and uncles, some cousins, etcetera etcetera. Finally Bellatrix, Narcissa and their mother and father, Cygnus and Druella, arrived. Unfortunately, it seemed they'd forgotten the only _good_ cousin, Andromeda. Narcissa told him Andy would be late, so at least he knew she'd be there _sooner or later_.

The party was speeding up - well, as much speeding up as is possible in a house full of horribly stiff elders - before Andromeda finally showed up. She breezed through the door looking amazing in robes of scarlet and emerald.

"Where have you been?" Her mother said irritably.

Andromeda smiled at her mother as she gently kissed her father's cheek. "I was finishing some last minute errands mum." She answered politely before turning towards Sirius. "You and I, we need to talk." She whispered.

Sirius nodded and discreetly pointed towards the backyard. Andromeda smiled and quickly spoke to everyone who waved her over. Finally Sirius exited, followed a minute later by Andromeda.

"What's up Andy?" Sirius asked, seating himself on a stone bench.

Andromeda sighed. "I'm in so much trouble Ri." She whispered.

Sirius glanced at his cousin and finally took in the paleness of her skin, along with the dark ringing around her eyes and the washed out color in her cheeks. "Whatever it is, I will help."

"I'm in love." She whispered.

Sirius smiled. "Why is that so horrible?" He asked.

"With a Muggleborn Hufflepuff." She finished.

Sirius gapped at his cousin. It wasn't that he agreed with the family about Muggleborns, or that he thought Hufflepuff was particularly bad. No, it was that his amazing cousin Andromeda had fallen in love with a boy that was both, and wholly unacceptable to their family. "Are you sure?" He asked. "You're only seventeen."

Andromeda nodded sadly. "I'm completely and irreversibly in love with a Muggleborn Hufflepuff by the name of Ted Tonks." She told the only cousin who would understand.

Sirius nodded. "What are you going to do?" He asked.

Andromeda shrugged. "He asked me if I'd ever be willing to make a commitment, a real one."

"You said..." Sirius asked.

"Yes." Andromeda answered. "I love him, how could I say no."

"And does he know about the family?" Sirius asked.

Andromeda shrugged. "I warned him that my family would hate him, and that they'd probably disown me - after trying to _dispose of him_ of course - when they learned about it."

"And..." Sirius persisted.

"And he said that he would wait until I was ready to let them know, keep it hidden until then. And that as long as I'm happy and can handle it long term, he would do whatever in his power to make sure I never missed them." Andromeda answered a dreamy smile on her face at the memory.

Sirius nodded. "When are you going to tell them?"

Andromeda grit her teeth, holding back any emotions that might peek out. "I'm going to tell them after I get done at school." She said, "I wanted to tell them before, but I've realized that I can't, not until I have the right to leave." She explained.

Sirius nodded. "I understand, they could do anything they choose until you're of age."

Andromeda nodded. "But we both know you'd tell them to shove it."

Sirius laughed. "I'm an idiotic Gryffindor, you're an antilitical Slytherin. That's the difference."

Andromeda shrugged. "But you should do whatever you have to in the name of love." She said.

Sirius laughed. "That's so naïve." He told his favorite cousin. "You do whatever you can to make sure you stay alive, as well as mentally and physically healthy for when you're able to be together."

Andromeda nodded. "Thank you." She told him.

"SIRIUS!"

"ANDROMEDA!"

They heard each of their mothers yell angrily.

Sirius sighed. "Looks like we're needed."

Andromeda nodded and they headed inside, arm in arm.


	17. Return To School And A Couple of Matches

**Semester Two**

Zoe sighed as she stepped back onto the train for her second semester. Unlike last year, she didn't feel quite all right. Rather, she felt as though she'd been trampled by a herd of Hippogriffs. She slowly lowered herself on a seat and let out a breath of fresh air.

"Rough week?" Ashley asked as she too, slowly lowered herself to a seating position.

Zoe smiled at her best friend and nodded. "Mum had a rough week?" She asked in turn.

Ashley also nodded. "You would think I'd learn to keep my mouth shut." She answered with a sad smile. "But it seems I will _never_ learn."

Zoe laughed but quickly sucked in a breath at the sharp pain that went through her. "Don't feel too bad, I've yet to learn either."

Ashley smiled as she picked herself back up and switched seats.

Lily walked into, what she thought, was an empty compartment to find the two girls, seated side-by-side. Severus gave her a look that quite clearly stated he wished to be anywhere _but_ there. Lily rolled her eyes and sat down across from the girls, dragging Severus down with her.

Zoe came awake to the distinct feeling of being watched. She looked up to find Lily and the Slytherin Snape seated across from her. "Good morning beautiful."

Zoe laughed at Lily's words. "How was your Christmas?" She asked as Ash _too_ came awake.

"It was wonderful." Lily answered.

Zoe then glanced towards Snape. "And yours?" She asked, trying to bring the anti-social Slytherin into the conversation.

The boy gave a timid lifting of his shoulder, but nothing more. "It was... normal." He said, this answer swiftly clearing the small attempt at a smile from his face, before he pulled out a book and ignored everyone.

It didn't take long before Lily realized she'd missed the trolley lady, and Ashley agreed to go with Lily to find her. Zoe waited a few moments before speaking up. "You hide it really well." She told him.

He looked up at her in complete confusion. "Hide what?" He demanded.

"The pain." She told him. "But if you want to get rid of it, I have a poultice that does wonders." She finished before turning back to her own book.

She could feel him fighting, knew he wanted to ask, but refused. Instead of making him, she reached into the bag beside her feet and handed over a homemade jar, which he discreetly shoved into his own bag. No words spoken, not even a nod of thanks, and they returned to their separate books.

Not long after, Lily came back, grumbling about _stupid Potter and his stupid friends._ Ashley was trying to hold in laughter, and clearly Lily knew this, for she seated herself and tossed one of her Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans at Ashley's head in retaliation. Ashley merely ducked it and seated herself across from Lily with a small smile. Zoe couldn't help her own smile as she watched Snape lift his book higher, probably not wishing to incur any of Lily's wrath. Zoe did the same, and for the same reason.

The welcome back feast was good, and soon everyone was sent off to bed to ready for the next few months of work and Quidditch.

* * *

><p>"Now team, this will be our most difficult match yet." Trainston told everyone standing or seated around the locker room. "Ravenclaw's nothing if not bloody brilliant."<p>

"And bloody full of themselves." Someone could be heard saying.

"And bloody irritating." Another person shouted.

"And-" Someone else began, but finally Trainston cut his team's rant off.

"You have to realize they have one weakness, and that's their unwillingness to bend when they are confronted with something they _haven't_ practiced countless times." Trainston told his team, a gleam in his eyes. "Here's what I want you all to do..."

**RAVENCLAW! **Dawn yelled out as the team walked onto the field. **We have the team Captain and Seeker; Ms. Bradley. Beside her is the Keeper; Mr. Boot. Next in the line-up is the team Chasers; Mr. Hanly and Dorny and Ms. Moon. And their Beaters; Mr. Vane and Ms. Marie, GO ASHLEY! **Dawn screamed. They could hear McGonagall's large sigh of defeat as she finally realized Dawn was incapable of being impartial. It only took _two years_.

**And now we have GRYFFINDOR! Our ****Captain and one of our three Chasers, Trainston. The other two of course are Potter and Craigon. Beaters are Black and Zandria. Keeper is Ms. Wood, and Seeker, Ms. Severn.** Everyone was trying not to laugh at the fact that Dawn was being a lot less impartial than normal. It seemed that, since she had friends in Ravenclaw, she might not demoralize them as much as say... Slytherin.

**The team Captains have shook hands, and the teams have been sent into the air. **Dawn told everyone. **The Snitch is sent up, now the Bludgers (**_Let's hope no one sends it at the Gryffindor Stands again... _Sorry Ms. McGonagall!**)** **And the Quaffle has been tossed into the air!**

**It looks like Ravenclaw is taking it first. Hanly tosses to Moon who tosses back to Hanly and then off to Dorny. Oh, it looks like Black has sent a Bludger their way, causing Dorny to drop the Quaffle into the waiting arms of Trainston.**

**Trainston to Potter to Craigon, back to Potter, to Craigon... OH! It looks like Marie took a similar tactic as Black, sending the Bludger straight at Craigon. He barely hung onto his broom, but thankfully Potter swooped in and grabbed the Quaffle.**

**Potter tosses at the Hoop! BUT OH! It looks like Ravenclaw's got themselves a good Keeper, because Boot holds off the Quaffle and tosses it towards Moon.**

"Hey!" Zoe heard someone yell. "ZANDRIA!" Zoe's head came up just in time to miss a Bludger headed her way. She glanced around, caught sight of Ashley, who merely shrugged, telling her she didn't know how the damn thing got tossed Zoe's way.

Zoe shook her head and shot the ball back to the other end. It seemed Ravenclaw was focusing solely on the Keeper and Seeker. Sirius took the Keeper, and Zoe stayed with the Seeker.

**OH! LOOKS LIKE THE SNITCH HAS BEEN SPOTTED! **Dawn could be heard while Zoe tried to keep the Bludgers off their Seeker. **And Severn's after it, not far behind is Bradley. **Dawn yelled as the two girls raced towards the ground. **It looks like it's pure skill from here as they barely pull up before hitting the ground. That Snitch doesn't want to be caught! **The girls were neck to neck, both reaching for the snitch as James made another goal, completely ignoring what was going on. **AND JASMINE - I mean Severn - HAS THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINSSSSS! **Everyone touched down and congregated on Severn and Trainston as the couple kissed in the middle of the field. Zoe walked towards Ashley. "Good game." She said with a smile.

Ashley snorted. "Well, just expect us to smash Slytherin and we shall have a rematch." She said with a smile.

"HA!" They heard behind them. "Like Ravenclaw will _really_ beat Slytherin." The boy snarled as the girls turned around. "In your dreams."

Ashley walked forward with a saucy sway to her hips. "Honey, I don't want to know what you dream about, but I _do_ know Ravenclaw's going to kick your smarmy little arse." She told the boy. "So why don't you run off and pretend you have some semblance of a life that doesn't include making children cry."

Carrow walked forward, having heard what the Ravenclaw was saying. "And what makes you think a team full of girls can beat Slytherin?" He demanded.

Ashley's eyes turned to slit as she stepped forward, pulling out her wand. Zoe held her back. "Just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I won't hex your arse from here all the way back to the castle."

Carrow glanced towards Zoe. "Keep your bitch in line, or I'm going to teach mine what happens when she lets her run wild."

Ashley's nostrils flared. "Who you calling a bitch?" She demanded.

Carrow smiled. "Your little friend." He informed her as more Slytherin walked forward.

Zoe bit her lip, refusing to get into a fight with the older Slytherin students, but not sure that she could keep Ashley back. "You better watch it Carrow, or I may show you some of the things I've been wanting to try out, and they _aren't_ pleasant." Ashley told him, a cruel glint in her eye.

"What's going on here?" Lily asked as she walked forward.

"Oh look, another Mudblood." The white haired Malfoy said as he walked forward. "This is between us and the Pureblood."

"Which one?" Ashley demanded angrily.

"The only other one here, girl." Carrow said snidely.

Ashley laughed. "Oh, I see you haven't heard." She told them with a smirk.

Zoe tried to quiet her friend, but it seemed Ashley had enough. "I'm a Pureblood." She told the group, stunning them. "But I will admit I feel dirtier than I _ever_ did as a Muggleborn."

This pissed the Slytherin off it seemed, because they all seemed to take a menacing step forward.

Of course, Ashley didn't know when to back off, so she too stepped forward. "What's wrong?" She asked. "Did I hurt your wittle feelings with my honesty?"

"Ashley." Zoe said threw gritted teeth.

"Zoe." Ashley sang out innocently. "Let me hit just one."

Lily finally got over her minor surprise and yanked on Ashley. "Let's go, the boys say it's time to party and you're invited Ashley." She said as she drug the girl away.

Zoe turned to follow, but felt an arm stop her. "Just remember, you _are_ my toy, and I don't share." She heard whispered in her ear before she was released.

She walked away gracefully, refusing to let them know they'd affected her. She caught up with everyone, a large smile plastered on her face, refusing to admit she'd been scared by the Slytherin. "So, what's this I heard about a party?"

Everyone smiled and laughed as they headed for the kitchens, and then the Room of Requirement.

* * *

><p>Exams were sneaking up fast, and no one knew that better than the Marauder and their surrounding friends. This wasn't because they all were particularly studies, or because they were stressing, it was because of the three in their group shoving the information down their throats as they refused to allow their group to play any really fun pranks - James and Sirius, or get into any fights - Ashley and Sirius.<p>

But it didn't take long before the study time was interrupted by the Ravenclaw - Slytherin match.

**Ladies and Gentlemen, the match we've been waiting for... the match that decides who plays Gryffindor for the Cup. RAVENCALW versus SLYTHERIN!**

Zoe watched as the two teams exited their locker rooms.

**ON THE RAVENCLAW TEAM! We have Seeker and Captain; Bradley. Keeper; Boot. Beaters; Vane and Marie. And Chasers; Hanly, Dorny, and Moon. **Dawn called each.

**And on the Slytherin team. Captain and Keeper; Vanity. Beater; Carrow and Crabbe**. **Chaser; Avery, Lestrange, and Pucey. And** **Seeker; Malfoy. **She named off each of the Slytherin team. **Let the Game BEGIN!**

Zoe watched as the snitch was let loose, quickly followed by the Bludgers and the Quaffle.

**Looks like the Slytherin team is coming out hard and fast. They seem like they have one objective, kill the competition.** McGonagall was now yelling at Dawn. **My apologies Slytherin. **Dawn said grudgingly.

**It looks like Ravenclaw has the Quaffle. Handly to Moon to Dorny and Dorny knocked from the air by a Bludger**

**Thankfully Moon comes in a saves the Quaffle. But it looks like Slytherin is trying a new tactic. They've sandwiched Moon between Avery and Lestrange. Ooo... looks like Pucey's caught the Quaffle, but he doesn't look too happy with his team.**

**Pucey to Lestrange, to Avery, to Pucey... who scores against Ravenclaw... HEY! WHERE'S BOOT!**

Everyone glances around. Zoe pointed towards the ground where an unconscious Boot resided at the bottom of the goal.

**GOD DAMMIT SLYTHERIN! **Dawn yelled, completely ignoring McGonagall now. **STOP CHEATING YOU GITS!** Everyone laughed at this.

**Looks like Slytherin has the damn Quaffle, oh, but Ashley Marie's sending Bludgers like a madwoman. **_Always knew she'd be scary when pissed_**. Looks like she's knocked Crabbe from his broom with the Bludger, sending him to the ground and unconsciousness. **Everyone cheered and Anya could be heard whooping from the commentator box beside Dawn.

**Looks like Moon to Hanly to Dorny... score! That's Ravenclaw 70 - Slytherin 120... I really hope they catch that damn Snitch...**

Jasmine was searching for it from the stands... _Maybe it's a Seeker thing_, so when she pointed up, we all knew she'd found it. And Ravenclaw and Slytherin not long after.

**Looks like the Snitch has been spotted. They're chasing it, but where's our last Slytherin Beater? **Zoe looked around just in time to see Carrow targeting Ashley.

"ASHLEY!" She screeched, but to no avail. The Bludger smashed into Ashley's arm, barely allowing her to hang on. He then flew off, no one the wiser.

**Looks like they're almost there... oh... CAREFUL! **Dawn screeched as they drew closer to the ground. **They're going to hit! Looks like Slytherin is pulling up, but Ravenclaw's not... FINALLY! She pulled up and so did the Snitch... DANG THAT STUPID THING DOESN'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT.**

Zoe scanned the stadium. She's was right up front, Sirius on one side, Remus on the other, James beside Sirius, Lily behind us. Around us stood the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. None of us realized that the placement put us altogether, and easy targets.

**HEY! **Dawn screeched as our team finally realized we were being targeted. Remus shoved the girl's around us down as a Bludger almost took us all out. **DO SOMETHING PROFESSOR!**

But before anyone could say anything, Carrow was gone.

**Gah, I _hate_ Slytherin Quidditch team...** Dawn muttered before returning to the game. **Looks like the Snitch has been spotted once more. There neck and neck, and RAVENCLAW'S BEEN TAKEN OUT! Slytherin gets the Snitch and... Wins.** She muttered irritably. **Stupid Slytherin.**

Everyone rushed down to the field to make sure their friends in Ravenclaw weren't too badly hurt. Of course, I should have figured that, instead of seeking medical aid, Ashley would confront the bastards.

"You son of a bitch!" Ashley screamed as she stalked towards Carrow, who merely stood their nonchalantly. "You're a cheat, a sneak, and a coward."

Carrow stiffened at the last and slowly moved towards my third year best friend. "What. Did. You. Call. Me!" He demanded.

Ashley smirked evilly. "I. Called. You. A. Cheat... A. Sneak. And... A. Coward." She reiterated as she stood nose-to-nose with the boy.

"Why you little..."

Before either could do anything, James ran up and yanked Ashley backwards as Zoe placed herself in front of them. "If you touch my best friend, I _will_ kill you and bury your body in the Forbidden Forest." Zoe told the boy, deadly serious.

For the first time since he began bullying the girl, he took a step back in fear. _He believed her... she'd do exactly as she promised with no regret or remorse._ "Keep your friend out of my sight, and nothing will happen to the little witch." He warned, trying - and failing - to sound intimidating, before he turned and headed into the Slytherin Changing Room.

Zoe turned to Ashley. "Let's get you patched up and a Butterbeer in you." She said with a smirk.

Ashley nodded a smirk of equal size on her face.

They met up with their friends, hit the Hospital Wing so Madame Pomfrey could heal Ashley up, and headed for the secret stash of Butterbeer.


	18. Secrets

**September 1****st****, 1972**

Was it sad that she was excited to see him? Probably.

Was it sad that he was excited to see her? Probably.

Would her parent's kill her if they found out why she was in such a hurry to get back? Yes.

Would his parent's forbid him from going if they knew he was happy about it. Oh yeah.

Did they care? Not anymore.


	19. Fourth Year Awaits

**Fourth Year**

James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter all sat at the Gryffindor Table as Headmaster Dumbledore made his speech to his newest First Years. The end of his speech caused a commotion that none of the Marauder's had anticipated.

"Now that we have taken care of all the normal business, there is one more thing." Headmaster Dumbledore explained to his students as a hooded girl was walked through the Great Hall doors. "We have a transfer student from Beaubaxton."

Sirius felt dumbstruck when said girl pulled the hood down that had been covering her.

"Her name is Oribelle De Blanc, and she is our newest Third Year, Slytherin House."

She reminded him so much of someone, but he couldn't figure out exactly who.

"Now I'd like it if we all made her feel welcome. It's much harder coming here as an older student then it is as a First Year." Dumbledore said in his kind old man way. He then sat and waved his hand a bit and the food appeared.

Zoe sat, biting down on her lip to keep all emotions in check as she watched the _girl_ parade around the front, politely curtsying at the professors. She was such a monster, hidden away in the skin of a Unicorn.

Even as a Slytherin, people would gather around her, and drink up the beauty that seemed to flow from inside her heart. If only they knew. It wasn't beauty; it was something they couldn't even _begin_ to comprehend.

Finally, the feast was over and everyone headed to their separate dorms. Zoe was on her way up to her own dorm when Sirius stopped her. "May I speak to you?" He asked hesitantly.

Zoe shrugged. "Sure." She said and followed him to the corner.

"That girl... she seemed familiar. Do you know why?" He asked.

Zoe cocked an eyebrow. "Why would _I_ know why she seemed familiar to _you_?" She asked in confusion.

Sirius shrugged. "No reason." He said with a sheepish grin. "I'm going to head up to the dorm, see you in the morning." He finished, and then walked off.

Zoe bit her lip so hard it bled, but finally she realized she couldn't worry about it now, and all she was doing was causing herself pain. She shrugged to herself and headed up to her dorm.

Zoe sighed as she was once more trapped by a Slytherin, and it was only the first week of school.

"Are you finally going to come over to our side?" The boy asked pleasantly.

Zoe scoffed. "You sound like a commercial off the telly. _Come to the dark side, we have cookies_." She spat at the boy.

"Why you little-" The boy said angrily as he grabbed her arm roughly.

"Let her go Rudolphus." A feminine voice said sweetly.

The older boy turned. "Why... if it isn't our own little Oribelle."

The pretty blond girl smiled. "I told you all too just call me Belle."

The boy snickered. "Bellatrix won't like that much."

The girl blushed slightly. "I wouldn't want to step on any toes." She said sweetly then turned to Zoe. "Why if it isn't my lovely sister." She said just as pleasantly

The Slytherin darted a look between the two. "You're sister?" He asked.

The blond giggled. "Surprise isn't it. I mean, I'm blond were Acantha's got her black hair. I've blue eyes, and Acantha green. I'm pale where she's dark." The girl shrugged. "But yeah, we're sisters."

"Does that mean you and the little Gryffindor, Dawn Smith, are sisters as well?" The boy asked in surprise.

The blond scoffed prettily. "Not even." She said as her eyes hardened to ice. "I'm not related to a Mudblood, a blood-traitor, or the little halfblood they spawned." The girl said stiffly. "Acantha and I share the same mother, a _Pureblood_, but Acantha's father is a blood-traitor who married some little Mudblood he _fell in love_ _with_."

Zoe stepped forward. "If you don't stop calling my family dirty, I shall have to show you why it is Beaubaxton refused to take me when mother tried to transfer me last year."

Oribelle gave her sister a pitying look. "You poor child, this school is ruining you." She said, then motioned for the older Slytherin to follow her. "I shall have to fix that." She warned as she walked away.

Zoe shouted at the empty corridor in anger, knowing no one would hear her. She finally stalked towards class angrily.

Sirius jumped as he heard someone push the door so hard it slammed against the wall. He watched a very angry Zoe stalk threw, throwing the door closed with nothing but a flick of her hand. She was much more powerful than anyone gave her credit for.

She slammed herself down on a seat, not even paying attention to who exactly she seated herself beside. He watched the Slytherin she was seated beside, quickly scoot closer. He froze in his seat with nothing more than a wave of Zoe's hand. She was mad; there was no doubt about it.

The professor quickly scolded her, but she ignored it with nothing more than a shrug and an eye roll.

He definitely had some questions for her when they left class.


	20. Fifth Year Short

**Year Five**

Sirius watched Zoe walk by the two Slytherin boys with an icy look, then turn down the hall.

He didn't know what they'd done, but he planned on finding out.


	21. Fifth Year Long

"I don't have time for players." Zoe said to the seventh year Gryffindor standing in front of her.

"Every girl has time for me." The boy said with a grin.

"Unfortunately, or rather fortunately for you, I don't." She said.

"Why fortunately for me?" He asked in surprise.

"Because…" She began with a smirk. "You couldn't handle me." She finished, then walked away.

Sirius watched all this with a half-smile on his lips. His Zoe had spunk, and lots of it.

She was that girl that hit you full on in the gut, without doing anything except smiling. Her eyes looked into your soul, and you could do nothing except bare it to her.

One day he'd get her, but until then… he turned back towards the pretty blond he'd been giving his attention to before.

Zoe stormed out of the hall, seething from her rage at the whole world. She watched the snow fall to the ground, then conjured herself a pair of skates and headed for the middle of the frozen Black Lake.

"What are you doing out here?" She heard someone ask behind her.

She flipped around so fast her leg came out from underneath her and she felt the bone in her ankle snap. "Bloody Hell." She cried in anger.

"Bloody hell Zoe, are you mental?" She heard Remus demanded from somewhere beside her.

"No." She said with a scathingly sharp voice. "I'm not the one sneaking up on people while they're skating on frozen water."

Remus looked down sheepishly and Zoe felt her anger drain. "Just help me get my bloody boot off."

Remus nodded and gently brought her foot forward. He unlaced the boot and tried to pull it off as softly as possible, but he still saw Zoe's lips thin and heard her sharp intake of breath.

He left it on and tried to look around it. "I think it's broken." He said, looking closely.

"No shite." She said in aggravation. "I could have told you that the minute I fell."

Once again, Remus got that expression of embarrassment, pain, and regret on his face, causing Zoe to feel bad for her own actions.

"Stop worrying about it; just help me stand so I can get to the bloody nurse so she can get the bloody thing off my foot." She said in exasperation.

Remus lifted her to her feet, but when he tried to lift her off them she refused to allow it and he stopped fighting with her, worried he would end up hurting her worse.

Sirius turned as the Great Hall's doors were opened. He watched in stunned disbelief as Remus helped a hobbling Zoe in threw them.

He gave the blonde-haired girl an apologetic smile and headed towards his best friend and… whatever Zoe was to him.

"What in the hell happened?" He demanded.

Zoe didn't even look up as she bit out "Broken" because she was doing everything in her power just to stay conscious.

Sirius bent down and saw just how much pain she was in, and without further thought, lifted her off the ground and cradled her in his arms, walking towards the nurse's without a backward glance or a good day to Remus.


	22. Snivillus

**Semester Two**

"Excellent," James whispered. "_Snivellus_."

Snape was on his feet, shoving some paper in his bag. As he started across the grass, James and Sirius stood. Remus looked back down at the book, though his body was tense and Dawn was sure he wasn't reading. Peter looked on in anticipation, Dawn watched cautiously, and Anya looked away with disgust. They all knew what was about to happen.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.

Snape dropped his bag, whirled around, and thrust his hand into his robes for his wand.

Sirius called out, "_Expelliarmus!_" as he barked with laughter.

Snape's wand flew out of his hand and fell in the grass many feet behind him with a thud. He quickly dove for his wand, but Sirius yelled, "_Impedimenta!_" knocking the boy away mid-dive as students gathered to watch.

James and Sirius advanced on the panting boy, sprawled out on the ground, with their wands up and ready. James kept glancing back at the fifth year girls. Peter was on his feet now, moving toward them. With a quick look at Remus, Dawn hunched down beside him, not wishing to be a part of this. Anya still had yet to say anything.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" asked James.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it; they won't be able to read a word."

There was a lot of laughter amongst the students watching. Snape was trying to get up, but he was still under the effects of the jinx Sirius had cast on him and was wriggling around on the grass.

"You – wait," he panted at James with pure loathing. "You – wait…"

"Wait for what?" asked Sirius coolly. "What are you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Snape swore and called out hexes, but he didn't have his wand, so Sirius remained intact.

"Leave him ALONE!" Everyone heard.

James, Sirius, Peter, and Dawn looked around. Anya and Remus watched Potter, who began messing up his hair, which told everyone who didn't already know, that it was Lily screaming.

"You all right, Evans?" asked James in a voice that didn't really sound like him.

"Leave him alone," Lily threw at him once more, looking at James with almost an identical look of loathing to the one Snape had just fixed him with. "What has he done to you?"

"Well," said James thoughtfully, "it's more the fact that he _exists_, if you know what I mean…"

"I bet you think you're funny," Lily said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe-rag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James responded, not missing a beat. "Go on… Go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the Giant Squid," she screamed at James.

"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius as he turned back to Snape. "ARGH!"

There was a flash of light, and suddenly there was a gash on Sirius cheek, spurting blood all over his robes.

Remus gripped his book a little tighter, clearly debating whether or not to get involved. James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal a pair of skinny, pallid legs and a graying pair of underpants.

People in the crowd cheered and laughed, including her three friends. The other three watched in disappointment.

"Vet 'im down, James," Anya said stiffly, causing James to jump.

"Certainly," said James, and he jerked his wand upward, causing Snape to fall in a heap on the grass. He found his wand and scrambled to his feet, but Sirius was too quick.

"_Petrificus totalus!_"

Snape fell back again, rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" shrieked Lily once more. She now had her wand out and Sirius, James, and Peter all eyed it warily. They had seen enough of Lily's wand work to know she wasn't one to be messed with.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James conversationally.

"I think you'd better take the curse off him, Sirius." said Dawn, eyeing the fire in Lily's eyes. She was furious.

Sirius sighed and turned to Snape, muttering the counter curse. _He_ had seen the fury as well, and he understood it just as well as everyone else in the Marauder's circle.

"There you go," James said as Snape struggled to his feet again. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus–"

He was cut off when Severus shouted over him. "I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked, but didn't miss beat. "Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."

"Apologize to Evans!" yelled James, pointing his wand threateningly at Snape.

"I don't want _you_ to make him apologize," Lily shouted at James. "You're as bad as he is!"

"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a…" He paused, "you-know-what!" he stage whispered the last.

Lily gave an unladylike snort at that. "She stood for a second before snorting at the hilarity. "You may not have called me a Mudblood, but you are _exactly_ the same. You walk around here like you own the place, showing off, making sure everyone knows you and your pals are the thing, hexing anyone who irritates you, or even accidentally walks into your light. I'm surprised your broomstick can even get off the ground with that fat head on it." She snarled. "You make me _**SICK!**_"

"Evans!" James shouted. "Hey, Evans! Wait!"

She stopped and looked from one boy to the other. "_Exactly_ the same." She said as though dissapointed, shaking her head, and gathering up her things. She walked away, head held high.

"Come back!" James tried once more, but she just kept walking.

Sirius turned to James, who was trying to rearrange his face to look as though he didn't care, but it was obvious he truly did.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited mate." said Sirius.

Anya laughed cruelly. "You don't even 'ave to vead vetween the linez Ziriuz."

"Right -" said James after that. His face was now arranged in a mask of fury. "Right."

Another flash of light and Snape was hanging upside down in the air again. The crowd was clapping.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

The cheering got louder, and Sirius joined in. Peter squeaked in approval, and Dawn thought she heard something muttered from Remus - whose nose was still in the book he was holding - that sounded like "She doesn't like you because you're a bully."

Dawn decided to leave then and there, but a flash of light blinded them all and freezing every single person in their place. When they could all finally see again, Dawn watched none other than a _**very**_ pissed off Zoe storm forward, Ashley walking not far behind, equally as angry.

Zoe's green eyes looked like they held fire, her posture was so stiff she could well have been a board, and her hair seemed to flow _against_ the wind in her anger.

Ashley looked almost as scary; gold cat eyes sparking fiercely, lips clenched, and walking with an angry stride.

"What do you think you're doing Mr. Black" Pause. "Mr. Potter," Another pause. "And Mr. Pettigrew?" She asked in a voice that almost matched McGonagall's at her worst, only it was _**scarier**_.

"Just having a bit of fun, love." Sirius said with a laugh.

Zoe turned to him and pointed her wand at his face. Suddenly not a sound was heard from Sirius. "Stop talking." She said by way of explanation, before turning back to James.

"Like Sirius said, having a bit of... fun." James drawled.

"Oh, is that so?" Ashley asked from behind Zoe, stepping forward.

Pettigrew nodded quickly with a smile.

"Tormenting people is fun?" She asked again in her sweetest voice.

"No, just tormenting Snivellus." James answered arrogantly.

Zoe smiled from behind her best friend. "Well, if I'd known _that_ I would have joined." She answered, matching Ashley's tone to a tee.

Dawn heard Remus suck in his breath, but if her guess was correct, he should have been more worried for his friends, then for Snape.

Before any of them could react, Black, Potter, Pettigrew - and to everyone's amazement - Snape, where all slung up in the air, wands on the ground beneath them.

"Why'd you do it to me, too?" Snape demanded, unsure which girl to yell at.

Ashley smiled, clearly telling everyone it was _she_ who'd placed Snape in the tree, even if it was Zoe who'd placed the rest.

"We heard you call Lily a Mudblood." Ashley informed Snape. "And as a half-blood, you have no right - hell even being a Muggleborn turned Pureblood, **I** don't have the right - to say such words." She sneered at the black haired boy.

Zoe smiled then continued with Ashley's previous statement. "So, that makes you just as culpable at torment as the rest of these arrogant -" She paused and looked at Ashley. "What did Lily say?" She asked.

Ashley laughed, "Arrogant bullying toe-rags." She answered.

Zoe nodded and turned back to the boys. "Exactly." She said with a nod, then shrugged as a thought struck her. "Though I would have been much harsher." She informed Ashley, then stuck the lot of them in the tree, hanging by their ankles. Before she and Ashley walked away, they shot a stinging jinx at all the surrounding people, who quickly scampered off, leaving the four boys still upside down.

Remus looked up at the group as he stood. "You know, she has a point." He said, before heading after his girlfriend, Dawn and Anya not far behind.

Sirius looked at James, but he still couldn't say anything, so instead he gave him the _nastiest_ look he could come up with before he turned away, hung by his ankles in the most undignified position of his life. All because his best friend couldn't get over a smart little redhead. Not that he was much better off.


	23. Halloween Awaits

**Sixth Year**

"Tomorrow's Halloween!" Lily heard Dawn screech with too much enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I know." Zoe said with a short huff, clearly stating her own, low opinion, of her sister's statement.

"What are you going as?" Dawn asked innocently enough.

"I'm not." Was Zoe's short answer back.

Lily turned around in astonishment. "What do you mean you're _not_ going?" She demanded.

"It's not my thing." Zoe said with an eye roll.

"What?" Dawn demanded. "You _have_ to go. That's the end of the discussion."

"No I don't." She said simply.

"Yeah you do." Dawn retorted.

"Why?" Zoe asked with an eyebrow raise and an irritated expression on her face.

Dawn, in that moment, looked like the cat that ate the mouse, but Anya answered when it became clear Dawn wouldn't. "Vecause..." was all she said.

Zoe stared between the two for a moment, then kind of shook her head at her sister as if to make the pair go on with their reasoning. When she didn't, Zoe finally clenched her teeth to ask, "Why?"

"Because, if you don't there will be _no one_ there to make sure I don't get into any trouble." Her sister said with a smirk on her face as Anya rolled her eyes.

Lily watched as Zoe opened and closed her mouth several times, looking remarkably like a fish. Finally she uttered three words. "I hate you."

"I love you too." Her sister shot back at her, then turned back towards what she'd been doing earlier.

James, Remus, and Sirius stood against the wall, unfortunately - for Remus and Sirius - waiting for when James would _finally_ get to see Lily, and they could split. Peter was mysteriously absent.

Suddenly James poked Remus and Sirius and pointed to the entrance. There stood, what was clearly Dawn, Anya, Ashley, and Lily, but there was also another girl, who none of them recognized.

"Who's that?" James asked the unspoken question.

"I don't know?" Remus answered, then looked at Sirius. "But look at Sirius." He said, jabbing James.

James looked at Sirius and gave a laugh. His expression was comical, to say the least. He looked like he'd swallowed something, and someone had magicked it back up... forcefully. "What's wrong with him?" He asked Remus.

Remus laughed, "He's infatuated."

Suddenly both boys got a jab to the ribs. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here." He demanded. "I'm not _infatuated, _Remus, just interested to know who the girl is, that's all." He said, but clearly neither boy believed him.

Not that he blamed them, but hey, every guy in the room was probably feeling the same way he was, except James, and Remus - though with Remus, no one knew exactly what he felt or thought.

Lily watched the mixed reactions from all of the guys. She couldn't blame them, Zoe looked breathtaking.

She was wearing a single shoulder - and the shoulder that was covered held a full length, loose sleeve - ruby, floor length gown that hugged her entire chest and stomach, then flowed to the ground gracefully. The majority of her back was uncovered, the only thing holding the dress closed were three, single pieces of silk that went from once side of her dress and clasped on small clasps to the other side.

Her midnight hair had been curled into tiny, little curls, then piled high on to her head with only some stray pieces hanging around her face. She was wearing a pair of strappy, black stiletto heels - her toes peeking out slightly - that could be seen every time she walked, because she kept pulling the front of her dress up, scared she'd trip on it.

They had outlined her eyes in kohl and smoke, and her lips where painted red. She had on a pair of dangling, black, earrings that had small rubies at the end, and a black choker - that also had small rubies encrusted in it - around her throat. She also wore a black mask - more red stones outlining the outside of the mask and her eyes - that only covered the top half of her face, ending right in the middle of her pert nose, so you could only see her eyes, her ears, her cheeks, her chin, half her nose, and - of course - her lips.

"Everyone's staring." She heard Zoe say in an irrationally fearful voice. "Why can't Lily, Anya, and Ashley just watch you? It would be enough."

"Because," Dawn said in a voice that said she _clearly_ knew this argument was coming. "You're my older sister and it is _your_ job to watch me, not theirs."

"I'm older than you by _two_ months." Zoe said sternly.

"So." Dawn said, clearly done arguing. "Oh look," she said, pointing at the boys, "let's go." She grabbed hold of both Lily and Zoe and yanked, Ashley and Anya trailing sedately behind.

They walked up to the boys, Zoe _clearly_ furious that her sister was making her do this.

"Hey guys." Dawn said happily.

Lily watched James's face light up and gave an eye roll, but secretly felt her stomach flip. But instead of saying anything to Lily, he looked at Zoe and - with a small bow - asked "Who is this _lovely_ creature?"

James watched Lily's face as he asked her, hoping for _any_ sign of jealousy.

"This is..."

Ashley interrupted her, speaking for the first time that night. "You guys are going to have to guess. That's the point of the mask and Halloween."

Sirius's eyebrow rose, "It is?"

"Of course." Ashley answered, giving him a condescending pat on the head.

"Now, who am I?" Dawn demanded, tired of waiting for her irony to be known.

They all looked the girl over. She was wearing a short purple dress, the fabric ribbed up in many places, and a pointed hat with a spider hanging off it. Every once in a while the spider would crawl back up the string and travel slowly back down it.

Remus rolled his eyes. "You seriously came as a witch?"

Dawn smiled a moment. "Yupp."

Sirius and James looked confused. "How's that a witch?" James asked.

Dawn and Ashley laughed. "It's the Muggle depiction of what a witch is." She explained.

The boys just looked more confused.

Dawn rolled her eyes and turned to Anya. "Your turn."

Anya smiled as the boys looked her over. She was wearing a brown-leather colored blouse that hugged her small waist and accented everything perfectly, with pretty colored, bright embroidery all over it. The sleeves were long and billowy, but looked as though someone had sliced them from shoulder to above the wrist, making them hang, connected to said wrists. She was wearing a long, dark purple colored full skirt that hit her a little below the ankles. On top of that was a skirt that looked to stop between ankle and knee, but was slashed front and back, showing the other skirt beneath. It was a sky blue. On top of that was a skirt that stopped below the knee, but was slashed up the thighs, it was a deep, forest green. Her hair was covered by a bright scarf, another wrapped around her hips. She didn't look to be wearing shoes.

"What _are_ you?" Peter asked as he walked up in a Green _Pygmypuff costume._

Sirius arched a brow at him. "The better question would be, why are _you_ a _Pygmypuff?"_ Sirius demanded.

Peter smiled. "This cute Hufflepuff is my date, she's the other one."

Sirius laughed, then turned back to Anya.

"You're a Ruska Roma." Remus answered finally.

"Yes." She said with a bright smile.

"Is that part of your heritage, or just what you decided?" Remus asked.

Anya nodded. "I choose vecause I _am_ Ruzka Roma." She answered. "My vamily is gyvzy, vat iz why I come to zchool in my zecond year, inztead ov my virst." She explained happily.

Sirius finally waved a hand as though asking a professor a question.

"What?" Dawn demanded.

Sirius sighed. "_What_ is a _Ruska Roma?" _He demanded impatiently.

Remus rolled his eyes, but Ashley answered. "If you'd been _paying attention_, you would have heard her say gypsy." Ashley sighed. "It's a Russian Gypsy." She clarified.

James and Sirius nodded, acknowledging their understanding.

Dawn sighed. "Ok, Ashley's turn." She shouted happily.

James and Sirius looked Ashley up and down, then gave short shrugs, unable to guess hers as well.

Ashley wore a short red dress with a black belt that accented her torso, a red cloak that would do nothing for the cold, but covered her hair, and held a little basket. "No idea." They said.

Peter gave an eye roll and snickered. "You're supposed to be Little Red Riding Hood, aren't you?"

Ashley beamed. "Yes." She said with a HUGE smile at Peter, then a slight wink at her very hot boyfriend, Remus.

"Who's that?" Sirius asked, amazed that Peter answered instead of Remus.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Little Red Riding Hood was a naïve girl who supposedly caught the attention of a big bad wolf." Lily explained. "The wolf stalked her to Grandma's house and ate Grandma then pretended to be her so he could finally eat the girl too."

Remus cracked a smile as Ashley curled around him, in that special way of hers, as they watched James and Sirius laugh so hard they almost fell down. Lily gave the boys questioning looks.

Finally, getting tired of the laughing, Lily demanded "Well then, who are _you_ three supposed to be? Since we _know_ Peter."

They looked towards each other and laughed. "The Three Musketeers, of course." They said together.

Lily could only shake her head and roll her eyes as all three boys began laughing again.

Finally, after they calmed down a little, Remus asked, "And who are you Lily?"

Lily smiled, "I'm Artemis, of course."

James and Sirius looked to Remus with questioning looks. Lily was wearing a flowing white dress that went to, about, mid-calf, and had her red hair all piled onto her head in an elegantly, messy fashion, with a gold wreath sitting in it. She had golden sandals, also laced up to about mid-calf. "Who's Artemis?" Sirius finally asked when Remus said nothing.

Lily gave a huff, "She's a Muggle goddess. A Goddess of the Hunt. She cares for all the wild creatures in the forest, such as the birds and the deer." She explained.

"So you mean, like say, a Stag?" Sirius asked, trying to keep as straight a face as possible.

Lily, seeming completely oblivious, looked towards the ceiling, thinking for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I would imagine."

This time it was Remus and Sirius who guffawed.

"What?" Lily asked irritably.

Neither answered, but James did not look amused. Finally, after everyone had calmed down, they looked towards the only girl they hadn't figured out.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Sirius asked her softly.

She bit her lip, gnawing on the lower half for a moment, "I'm a mystery." She finally said with a beaming smile and a soft voice.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

Lily smiled at the way Zoe was looking at Sirius; it was the same way _Sirius _was looking at _Zoe._

"You know that person you see all the time?" Zoe asked softly.

"Yeah." Sirius answered.

"Well, you see them, and you know who they are, in a general sense. Maybe you've noticed that they do their hair in a certain way, or maybe they always eat the same thing every morning. But you definitely think you know who they are... right?" She asked him, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah." He answered again.

"Well I'm the mystery. The part you don't know, the part you've never seen, the things they keep hidden. The Mystery." She finished with a laugh.

Lily watched Sirius think this one over, then he gave a laugh too. "Well Mystery, may I have this dance?" He asked.

She watched the indecision flash across Zoe's eyes, but then, to her amazement - and Dawn's as well - she nodded.

James watched Sirius take the mystery girl out to the dance floor. Then Remus did the same with Ashley, they were both laughing over something Ashley had said, and Dawn and Anya left to find their respective boyfriends. Then it was only him and Lily left standing.

"Do you want to dance?" She heard James ask behind her.

She turned to him. She saw him looking, not like his normally cocky self, but more indecisive, as though he was _honestly_ worried she'd say no. And that was why she said yes.

Zoe smiled as she danced with Sirius. He was such a nice boy, it amazed her that she could possibly have thought him shallow or mean in anyway.

When he finally let her loose for a few moments to get them something to drink, someone else came forward.

"Evening beautiful madam." Reginald, the Hufflepuff who'd been crushing on her for years now, said charmingly.

She wondered if he even knew it was her, and how he'd gotten the courage to finally speak up either way.

"Evening." She replied in her most Pureblood perfect manner way.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked conversationally.

She nodded with a pleasant smile. "I am." She answered politely.

He nodded in return. "That is lovely." He said, then looked towards the dance floor. "Would you care to dance?" He asked the dreaded question.

Zoe looked towards the floor, then around for Sirius a bit. "Umm..." She froze, not knowing what to say.

Reginald smiled. "I don't think your date would mind one dance." He whispered conspiratorially.

"Oh," Zoe said with a smile. "He's not my date." She said, and then wanted to kick herself for her horrible need to tell the truth.

"Well then, he doubly won't mind." He said with a laugh as he walked her towards the dance floor.

Zoe smiled politely, but clenched her teeth a bit when they finally reached the floor.

They danced a bit, and it wasn't horrid, but it wasn't pleasant either. She just wished for it to be done, but then he asked for another dance, and another, and another. Finally, after the fourth dance, he led her to a secluded table and handed her a drink. She was so grateful to be off that stupid dance floor with the clumsy boy that she drank it all down without a thought. _When would she learn_?

She calmly followed the boy out the doors of the Great Hall, her brain and heart fighting it every second, but her legs calmly following after. She knew this wasn't right, that he'd done something to her, and it had to be that stupid drink he'd given her. It'd all been one big ploy to get her alone. Or so she thought.

"Hello my pretty little Pureblood." She heard behind her.

Zoe turned, wide eyed, to see none other than Jonathan Jason. She'd wondered why he'd left off messing with her for the past month.

"What do you want?" She demanded, unable to move her feet, but still able to fight verbally.

He smiled that pretty boy smile of his. "Just a kiss." He answered. "Nothing more."

Zoe snorted. "Why. Would I. Kiss you?" She demanded.

"Because." She heard a pretty voice say from behind her. "I want you to."

Zoe turned, and there stood none other than her manipulative little bitch of a sister, Oribelle. "Hello... sister." She said snarkly. "Now tell me why I would do that."

"Hello sweet." Oribelle smiled that sweet little smile of hers then said. "Because you love me."

Zoe snorted. "Do I?" She demanded. Somewhere in her heart, she _did_ love her little sister, but she _didn't_ love the girl that child had grown into.

"You do." She answered confidently. She then walked forward and softly kissed Zoe's cheek. "Now, kiss the wonderful boy, and realize that _he _- not Sirius Black, blood-traiter - is your path."

Zoe tried to fight it, but she felt herself walking towards Jonathan, and standing on tiptoes as his mouth descended towards her. He pulled off her mask, and she felt his lips touch her own.

Sirius had been gone for no more than two minutes, when suddenly Zoe was gone. He knew he wasn't supposed to know who she was, but anyone who thought he wouldn't know Zoe, really was slow in the head.

He searched everywhere, then he went to find everyone to have them search as well. He couldn't find James and Lily, he'd think about what that meant later. Finally he found Remus and Ashley, not something he wanted to ever see again. When there was no one around, they really let loose.

"Have you seen Zoe?" He asked, ruining their moment with his own worries.

Ashley snorted. "I knew it wouldn't fool you."

Sirius laughed at that, then return to his previous worry. "Have you seen her?"

Remus shook his head. "We haven't been seeing much of anything, honestly." He answered with a slightly embarrassed shrug.

Sirius nodded at that. "No worries, she's probably just being chatted up by some kid who doesn't understand she's taken."

Ashley grinned, but gave him a slightly worried look until he winked at her reassuringly. Then he smiled and headed to look elsewhere.

The next person he found was Dawn, Anya, and their respective dates. Dawn's was some kid in Hufflepuff - Sirius didn't really care who - and Anya's was a handsome Ravenclaw. "Have you two seen Zoe?" He asked, more worried than before, but still refusing to show it.

Dawn shrugged, as did her and Anya's date. Anya said nothing.

Sirius arched a brow. "Have you Anya?" He asked a bit more sternly, teeth finally clenching.

Anya shook her head, then looked towards the drinks table.

Sirius nodded subtly. "Well, I'm going to go to the drink table, if anyone sees her, let her know I'm looking." He said, then slowly walked that way.

When he reached it, there stood Anya, waiting patiently.

"Vow, you take vorever." She said with a smirk.

Sirius furrowed his brow. "I never noticed how much better your English has gotten over the years until now." He said with a frown.

Anya rolled her eyes. "Ztop procraztinate and juz azk me." She told him sternly.

"Where is she?" He asked.

Anya flinched. "You von't like it."

Sirius gave her a go on look.

"Zhe left with a Huvvlepuvv boy." Anya explained quickly. "I believe 'is name is Reginald."

Sirius furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He knew a Reginald, how? And then it came to him, Reginald was the dafty Hufflepuff she'd complained about a few times, with the puppy dog crush. _Why would she leave with him?_ He wondered.

"They vent out that door." She finished, pointing towards a door off from the Great Hall.

Sirius nodded, then ran out the door. And walked right into a nightmare. Zoe kissing a Slytherin.


	24. Halloween Awaits Part Two

She couldn't figure out why she couldn't stop herself, then his lips touched hers, and she didn't _want_ to stop it. His lips were so... she didn't know how to explain it. They made her feel, almost... drowsy.

She heard a sudden intake of breath, and turned around to find Sirius standing there in all his wonderful handsomeness. It still affected her, but it seemed dull, like something was diluting her vision.

"What are you doing?" Sirius demanded in confusion.

Zoe looked at him, almost walked towards him, but she felt Jonathan's hand on the small of her back, and she froze. "What do you mean?" She asked sweetly.

She saw the look on Sirius face, a mix between wonder, hurt, and something else. But all she could think about was how much she wanted to curl around Jonathan while he stroked the small of her back.

"I mean, why are you kissing _Jonathan Jason_ of all people?" He reiterated.

At his question, Sirius saw a look of confusion cross Zoe's pale features. _Did she even know what was going on?_ He wondered silently.

"Because, I love her." Was her answer, which struck him as _exceedingly_ odd.

"Who?" He asked in confusion.

She opened her mouth to answer, but Jonathan cupped her cheek. "She meant that she's in love with me, and she finally understands it."

Sirius looked at the Slytherin with pure loathing bleeding from his eyes. "Whatever you did, undo it." He told the boy.

Jonathan laughed. "_I_ didn't do anything." He said with a smirk.

Zoe heard Jonathan's words, and somehow it broke whatever spell was over her for the moment. "It was that damn Hufflepuff." She shouted. "Him and Oribelle." And then it was like something had shut off and she no longer had control of her vocal cords. She slowly slid back into the half state of semiconciousness.

Through that half state, she watched Sirius run at Jonathan, only to be held back by Jonathan's thugs. She couldn't do anything, no matter how much she pushed against herself, and fought her invisible bonds. All she could do was stand at Jonathan's side, a smile on her face, and a blank look on her face.

She watched one of Jonathan's friends go to punch Sirius, but Jonathan stopped them. "Let's take this somewhere private." He said as he grabbed hold of her hand and laced his fingers threw her own.

Sirius was drug outside, a Slytherin holding each of his arms and two more at his back. Zoe tried, she really did, but no matter how much she fought mentally, she couldn't move her body freely an inch physically.

She watched Jonathan's boy's pound on Sirius a bit before Oribelle finally walked out. She looked towards Sirius, but shrugged a bit and moved on to what she must have figured were more pressing matters.

"Have you completed the spell yet?" She asked pleasantly enough.

Jonathan frowned. "Not yet, we were interrupted."

Zoe held her breath as Oribelle went through her stages of anger before she blew up.

_First; understanding exactly what has just been said to start her on the course of true anger. Zoe smiled internally as she watched it happen._

_Second; gritting her teeth to keep from flaying whoever made her mad, right on the spot. This one was entertaining because she literally went white knuckles about it, clenching and unclenching her fists._

_Third; thinking threw exactly what she was going to do about the anger. Her thinking face was some of Zoe's worst memories actually._

_Fourth; Implementing plan. This was Oribelle's final step, and the one that would either decided your hospital trip, or second chance. Usually it was a hospital trip, this time, not so much._

"Well, next time, don't let there be interruptions." She said angrily. "Let your buddies take out the trash, while you finish the damn spell."

Zoe smirked. "Guess that Veela temper's really showing threw, isn't it."

Every word was a painful struggle to get out, and it left her exhausted, but it was worth it to see the anger on Oribelle's face, and the comprehension on everyone else's.

"What?" She asked the masses. "Didn't know?"

After that, it felt as if someone had seared her throat shut every time she tried to say anything more. She couldn't seem to speak a word, and that really angered her. It seemed that was what she needed to gain a little freedom from this damn spell.

She lashed out, punching Jonathan in the mouth before heading for the two Slytherin holding Sirius. Before Zoe could reach them, Oribelle grabbed her arm, and all fight seemed to drain from her body.

"Finish it now." Oribelle shot at Jonathan as she held Acantha.

She needed her sister back on her side. If she didn't have Acantha, she didn't have anything, and she couldn't disappoint her parent's by losing her.

Jonathan leaned down and kissed Acantha for the second time. She watched the dreamy look pass over her sister's face, and Oribelle had a sudden urge to rip the boy's face off, thankfully she'd been controlling such urges for quite some time. If she could do the spell herself, she would, but it didn't permit blood relatives from being the handlers.

She focused on the task at hand, and refused to think any longer on the piece of trash she was handing her sister over to. If she hadn't been able to control the weak willed son-of-a-bitch, he wouldn't be here.

Sirius watched Jonathan kiss Zoe once more, and Oribelle - who'd just come out of nowhere by the way - spoke some mumbo jumbo Latin that was so old, Sirius didn't even understand half of it, and suddenly Zoe's face went from slightly dreamy, to drooling in the mental ward dreamy.

"Now Acantha" he heard her sister say in that sickly sweet voice of hers. "Can you tell me how you feel about Jonathan?" She asked.

Zoe smiled dreamily. "I love him." She answered, with no indicators that she was lying in any way. Actually, he was pretty sure she was telling the truth.

Oribelle stepped to Zoe's side and wrapped her hand around Zoe's wrist. _Where had he seen that before?_

She walked Zoe towards Sirius himself. When they stood in front of him, he could see a slight look cross Zoe's features, before it dissipated into nothing.

"Now, what do you think about him?" Oribelle asked, pointing at Sirius.

He watched Zoe's face for any sign of awareness, and got none.

"He looks hurt." She said in concern.

Oribelle arched a brow. "Does that bother you?" She demanded, anger creeping into her voice.

Zoe looked at Oribelle with a look of confusion. "Do you not want it to?" She asked, sounding like a five year old child who made an older sister mad.

Oribelle bit her lip, clearly - or at least clearly to Sirius - holding back anger. "Of course not." She said, dropping Zoe's wrists and storming to some book sitting on the ground.

Sirius watched Zoe creep forward. "Does it hurt?" She asked softly, touching a cut above Sirius' eyebrow.

Sirius heard the doom squad talking behind them. Oribelle was clearly furious about something. Saying that she should care only for the people mentioned in the spell. Having no feelings for anyone who had not been named. Clearly, something had gone wrong.

At the realization of what that meant, he ignored her question, asking one of his own. "Do you recognize me?" He asked quickly.

Zoe - or was it Acantha? Oribelle seemed to want her to call herself Acantha - slowly thought over the boy's question. For some reason, she _did_ recognize him. She cared deeply for this man, boy, man, even though she wasn't supposed to. _Was something wrong with her? There had to be._

Before she could wonder further, Oribelle came back with Jonathan, the man she... was _supposed_ to love. _No, she did love him_. She thought dreamily as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. _There was someone else who did that a lot._

"We need to finish this. Then she will be completely mine once more, like _before_ she came to this horrible place." Oribelle said with a slight tone that worried Zoe... Acantha... Zoe... Acantha, it was _supposed_ to be Acantha. That was what _Oribelle_ wanted.

Oribelle was saying some words, and Jonathan was leaning down to kiss her once more, when all hell broke loose.

Sirius knew whatever was about to happen was some serious black magic and not stuff easily fixed. He couldn't let them screw with Zoe's head like that. She'd flip if she ever became normal again.

They were readying to do some spell, so after they'd started in on it, he spoke a silent spell to call the Marauder's, and pounced on his jailer.

Of course, he was losing, _**big-time**_, when the cavalry came to bail him out. He had three Slytherin pounding on him - the rest waiting their turn - when suddenly they were thrown off him by a huge burst of light. Definitely Ashley's spell work.

Zoe... _Acantha_ was watching the black haired boy get pounded as Oribelle said some spell, when she felt heat spread threw her palm. She knew what that meant. It was a signal that the Marauder's and the rest of the close-knit group had whenever they had trouble. _How'd she know that_?

She shook off a bit of the fog that seemed to be wrapping around her brain, and noticed Sirius getting pummeled. She tried to go to him, but her body wasn't her own. She watched, mentally pushing, until a burst of - what could only be Ashley's magic - threw the Slytherin off Sirius.

She watched Remus and Ashley stand back-to-back as enemies came out of the woodwork - metaphorically - now that backup had shown up. They fought off about three attackers each, watching the other's back, and protecting themselves with their amazing magic. And Ashley occasionally lashing out with fists, but that wasn't much of a surprise. Remus following her example though, that _was _a surprise.

Anya and Dawn where going between using defensive spells, and good old fashioned trickster magic. One minute they'd be blocking with shields, and the next, one of their opponents would be sprouting daisies out their ears. It was comical, other than the whole dueling for their life thing.

Peter was holding his own with his defensive spells and charms. The fact that the other team tended to underestimate him - he _was _in a Pygmypuff costume - helped immensely.

James - and Lily to Zoe's complete stupefaction - was _also_ standing back to back, dueling quite well with everyone who came after them. Zoe watched with a hidden smile as one attacker went for Ms. Lily's back, and James protected her by lashing out with a fist instead of magic.

Finally she realized something, Sirius was gone, and the urge to kiss Jonathan was back. She turned to him, lifted her lips up to his, and... Then he was gone. Sirius had popped up, and _popped him in the jaw._ Kind of romantic, other than the whole _my family wants to turn me in to some perv's mindless slave so they can control me._ Yeah, other than that, romantic.

She realized she had her body back, all to herself, and she lashed out, punching the first thing to come within range. Which happened to be her sister, Oribelle.

Oribelle went down, out cold, and then so did Zoe. Unfortunately for Zoe, it wasn't out cold. It was _eyes rolled back in skull, gagging on own tongue, screaming because your whole bodies on fire_ kind of going down.

The whole group turned as one as they heard a piercing scream. Ashley rushed forward, turning her best friend to the side to keep her from choking on her tongue. She felt someone hand her a belt, and she placed it between Zoe's teeth - didn't want her biting her tongue off either. No one could figure out why she was having the seizure, and then Anya found the book the Slytherin bitch had been reading from, and they _did_ know why she was seizing.

"What do you mean it's an after effect of the spell?" Dawn demanded at her best friend angrily.

Anya sighed. "It meanz vat da zvell no go vrough, zo it backvire." She said, her accent coming through clearer then they'd heard it since she'd first introduced herself.

Lily sighed. "Calm down Anya, you getting upset just mean's no one will know what's going on, because you seem to be the only one able to read this crap." She said, rubbing Anya's back soothingly. She turned to Dawn. "And yelling at your friend will only make her more nervous and upset, and piss people off." She said it all in a calm tone, and Ashley was really grateful for it.

"Please Anya," Ashley said, holding Zoe's head up and out of the dirt. "I need you to read that thing and _clearly _tell me what I need to know to help her."

Anya looked upset at it all being placed on her, looking about to crack under the pressure, something no one had ever seen her do.

Ashley sighed. "Please." She whispered softly. "She can't die." The last was said with a slight hitch in her voice. Remus, of course, heard it, and knelt down beside her.

Anya nodded, sucking in a huge breath, and seemed to pull herself together. While Anya read, everyone else got comfortable.

Ashley lifted her best friends head up slightly, and crossed her legs, laying Zoe's head down softly, using her layers of skirt as a pillow. Remus sat behind her, soothingly running his hand up and down her spine, trying to calm her. Dawn grabbed her sister's hand and stroked it lightly, Lily at her side keeping her calm. Beside Lily stood James, keeping an eye out for anyone who could interrupt. Sirius, he stood over Oribelle and Jonathan, probably hoping one of them would wake up so he could punch them again.

Finally, after about thirty seconds of tense waiting and Zoe's shaking subsiding, Anya figured out what was going on.

"Zshe's reacting to the zpell not being finizshed." She explained quickly. "Not to the completion like we'd though."

"What's that mean?" Lily asked.

Anya sighed. "For many zpellz, if you don't complete them, they're just no' completed and you have to ztart over. No 'arm no foul."

"Yeah?" This from somewhere, Ashley didn't know where.

Anya continued. "But for dark magic..."

Sirius cut her off. "For Dark Magic, if you don't finish the spell, the caster or the one you casted it on, have horrid side effects."

"Such as?" Someone asked.

"Such as... it all depends on the spell." He finished, and looked towards Zoe, who'd finally stilled.

"The zide effects for this one, I can't be zure, but I think it'z..." Once more, Anya was cut off.

"The side effects are; pain whenever I hurt the one casting, because the spell is meant to enable total devotion from the one it's being casted on." Zoe hoarsely explained as she sat up. "In this case, since there are two caster's - blood relatives can't be full handler's - I also get the added bonus of pain every time I have a bad feeling or thought towards the caster_**s**_, in anyway try to disobey the caster_**s**_, and I will have the strong urge to kiss the bastard and finish the damn spell if we don't take care of it." She finished, clenching her fists. Sirius knelt down and lifted Zoe to her feet.

Ashley had to smile at that, even when they were both in serious pain, they were so completely in love, and they didn't even know it.

"What can we do?" Dawn demanded at no one in particular.

"Well-" Zoe was cut off as she bit her lip and doubled over in pain. "Bloody hell, son of a, mother..." She stopped. "I really hate my sister." She screamed towards the unconscious body of Oribelle.

"What?" Dawn asked what almost everyone else was thinking.

Zoe looked at the group. "You'd think you lot would have figured it out."

Lily smirked. "Can't blame them, you and she look nothing alike."

Zoe smirked painfully at Lily. "You figured it out."

Lily shrugged. "I'm bloody brilliant, and I notice things."

"As well as having had connections in Slytherin." Ashley said with a smirk of her own.

Lily gave a shrug at that, but no answer.

Zoe cocked a brow at her best friend. "How long have _you_ known?" She asked.

Ashley gave another of her smirks, gold cat eyes gleaming. "Since the moment she walked into the Great Hall." She said with a haughty tone.

Zoe scoffed. "Who else knows?" She asked.

Remus smiled with Ashley and Lily, but it was Peter's timid hand going up that shocked the group.

"Did you really?" Zoe asked.

Peter nodded timidly.

"How'd you figure it out?" She asked, surprise clear in her voice.

Peter shrugged. "It was the way you acted when she passed you on the train depot her first year here. Our fourth year."

Ashley gave him an incredulous look of her own. "That was like, ten second eye contact, at the most."

Peter gave another timid shrug. "Yeah, but that's exactly it." He explained. "Oribelle over there gave Zoe such a look, that it could only mean they were related." He explained softly. "Or she was in love with her." He added. "Then they introduced her at the Feast that first day, and I remembered mum talking about how an Isabella Zandria from Italy married some Veela De Blanc guy from France, when I was little, and how it was a big deal, and they had a daughter, about a year after their firstborn. She figured they might be in our year."

Everyone stared at Peter, the boy that everyone looked over out of the group. He really was extraordinarily perceptive.

Dawn finally got angry at this point. "You're saying that the Oribelle De Blanc bitch, who's insulted my mother, father, and I for the past two years, is your _sister?"_ She finally let loose.

Zoe nodded. "Yeah, well, half-sister." She corrected.

Dawn stood, as did Anya, and she walked towards Oribelle. She leaned down and got really close to the girls ear. "I'm going to kill you bitch." She told her. "Remember that." She smiled. "Every time you get that feeling that someone's watching you, wonder if it's me, because _no one_ screws with my sister, let alone someone who's supposed to protect her." With that, she stood and kicked the unconscious girl across the face. Anya threw a smile back at the group as she walked after Dawn, book still in hand.

Zoe snorted. "Well that was interesting." She said, leaning heavily on Sirius as they all slowly made their way back towards the school.

"Yeah," This from James. "Never thought I'd see Miss. Never-say-a-mean-word do that to someone." After that everyone was silent.

"Hey, I have an idea." Ashley said suddenly as everyone walked.

Remus looked towards his girlfriend questioningly.

Ashley shrugged. "Well, no one really wants to explain their state at the moment." She said reasonably. "So why don't we send someone to catch up to those girls - they can't have gotten far - and we haul ourselves to the Room of Requirements and just spend the night there. We don't have classes in the morning so no worries. And honestly, I don't want to sleep alone tonight." She finished reasonably.

They all looked at one another, then each smiled or smirked in their own way. Peter volunteered to catch up to the girls, and soon they were all in the R and R, everything they needed there for them. Zoe and the girl's had learned how to work this room and they did it without guilt.


	25. She Finally Says YES  Lily x James

"Please go with me to the next Hogsmead trip." James whispered in her ear, knowing the answer, but refusing to give up.

Lily turned to him, "I'll go with you," She told him, holding up her hand before he could get too excited. "If... you can tell me five reason's you are so enamored with me." She finished. "They can't have anything to do with my looks, love at first sight, or the color of my hair." She warned.

James smiled and nodded before turning and walking away. _He _had_ changed._ Lily thought to herself as she watched him strike up a conversation with a boy from Ravenclaw. _Why was it having such an effect on her?_ That was the question.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She heard from behind her.

Lily turned her head lazily to find none other than Sirius. "That's a Muggle saying... an _American_ Muggle saying to be exact."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm learned in a vast majority of unknown and amazing things." He told her.

Lily snorted. "Of course you are."

"So what were you thinking about?" He asked once more.

Lily shrugged. "Just wondering over little things." She answered vaguely.

Before Sirius could respond, Peter came rushing up. "Remus." Was all he said, but it was enough to drain the color from Sirius' face. He took off towards James, an apologetic smile shot at Lily as his only excuse.

Even if Lily rarely showed her more curious side, she still had one, and this rather odd display only raised her curiosity more. _What were the boys always doing when they went out after curfew?_ Though she had a sneaking suspicion, she shouldn't care, and she knew she shouldn't follow, but she couldn't help it. She snuck off after the boys.

_What am I doing? What am I doing? Oh, bloody hell, this is so stupid._ She uttered silently as she tried to get back to the school. She'd quickly lost sight of the boys, and all reason to be out on such a creepy night. Just then she heard a howl, one that sounded really close actually. She took off at a run, and instinctively knew that whatever had been howling, was chasing after her.

It wasn't long before she heard crashing underbrush and another howl, this one right behind her. She couldn't see the school, didn't even know which direction she was fleeing in, she just knew if that thing caught her, she was in for some trouble. Suddenly, out of the underbrush, came the Werewolf, a dog, a stag, and a rat right behind it. The stag jumped in front of her, throwing its head around. The dog barked at the beast's feet, taking nips whenever it got to close. The rat had jumped on its tail and bit down, causing the poor beast to let out a howl as it tried to swat it away. Lily was still backing up, slowly this time, but as her foot slid back another step, she encountered cold water behind her. She turned and found herself at the edge of a pond, a rather large pond. Before she could step away from it, something shoved her, sending her far out into the water.

She went under, unsure which way was up anymore. She hadn't taken any breaths in when first going under, and the small supply in her lungs was slowly disappearing. When something slid across her ankle, she gasped, releasing the last bit of air she'd been clinging to, and swallowing a load of water in the process. As she slowly floated down, she wondered what James would think when she didn't return. She wanted to laugh at that thought, _I'm dying and I'm wondering about Potter, how fitting._

As she thought this, she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and kick up, sending them both to the surface. Lily started hacking up the water she'd swallowed, and dragging in lungful's of clean, unused, unwatery air. She felt whoever had a hold of her tighten his hold momentarily before relaxing it and dragging them both to shore.

Once they reached the banks, she turned her exhausted head to find none other than James Potter lying on the bank beside her. "You saved my life." She said.

They heard a howl not far away. "Not yet I haven't." He said as he stood, crouching in front of Lily. "Just stay out of sight."

The werewolf came stumbling through the bushes, nose in the air. As he cleared the debris, his nose came down and he pierced them with a look. He walked forward, and as he did, James tensed. _Turn and let her know our secret, or not?_ He couldn't let her get hurt, but it wasn't his secret to tell. Thankfully he was saved the choice as Sirius and Peter jumped in front of him and Lily.

Sirius snarled angrily, more angry at himself than anyone else. It had been his fault that Lily had followed them and almost got herself killed. If anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.

As Remus stepped closer, another dog came bounding threw the brush and skidded to a stop beside Sirius. The dog was lean and black, elegant next to his scruffy. It lifted its lip and let out an angry growl. Next came a beautiful little fox, all black except for a bit of white here and there. It came trotting threw the forest, and placed itself in front of James and Lily, taking a spot beside the other dog. It let out a yip, letting them know it was there to help. An eagle suddenly soared down and placed itself on the fox's shoulder and letting out a loud whistle as it launched itself towards the lowest branch and set down.

Sirius glanced at James and saw his bewildered look, mirroring his own thoughts. But it didn't stop there. Loping threw the forest came a large cat that looked more like a giant jungle cat, gold, brown, and red shot threw it's fur. The cat stepped forward, but instead of heading to the group, it cautiously crept towards the werewolf. It let out a soft yowl, as though trying to make the werewolf recognize it. Amazingly enough, the wolf began sniffing the air and crept closer to the cat. Everyone looked on in amazement as the wolf's nose met the cat's nose and licked its muzzle. Sirius, James, and Peter didn't know what was going on, but it wasn't something _they_ understood. The cat took off, the wolf following it, and everyone but James and Lily following them.

James quickly dropped to his knees and turned to Lily. He had his arms wrapped around Lily's shoulders as she cried softly into his chest. "It's ok, you're safe."

And amazingly enough, she _did_ feel safe, safer then she'd felt in a long time. Lily looked into James' eyes. "Will you escort me on the next Hogsmead trip?" She asked softly.

James couldn't believe what he'd just heard. _She'd said yes._ "Of course." He told her, a grin plastered on his face.

Lily smiled up at him.

"One; you're brilliant. Two; you don't let anyone give you crap. Three; you stand up for yourself and others, no matter the cost. Four; you don't back down on what you believe in, no matter how much pressure anyone else give you. And five; you care so much for your friends, even when they're doing everything in their power to shove everyone else away, you refuse to allow it." James told her.

Lily laughed as she heard his rather sweet reasons for asking her out.

"But that isn't all. I also find you amazingly beautiful, fiery of spirit, able to keep up with whatever I do, and loyal to a fault. You put Sirius in his place when no female but Zoe, Dawn, and Anya do, you don't hate on Peter just because he tends to be a bit slower than the rest of us, and you don't treat Remus any different, though he has a total tortured soul feel about him. You refuse to let any of us -"

Lily cut him off there by placing her lips over his. They sat that way for long moments, at least until a shiver racked Lily's body. She laughed as they broke apart. "This doesn't mean we're dating, it means you and I am going on _one_ date and you have to prove yourself, just like any other guy." She warned.

James laughed. "I love a challenge." He told her as he stood and lifted her to her feet. Remus would be ok with Sirius and Peter, and whoever else had been helping. _He had to wonder though, who else in the school were illegal animagi? And how had they never run into one another before this?_


	26. The Truth

**Semester Two**

The boy walked up, cornering her outside between a grove of trees.

"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded at the boy in silver and green robes.

"I think I'm finally getting you to stop moving for a few minutes." He said with a grin.

"Why?"

"Because, I have an urge to see just how long that hair of yours is." He said, reaching towards it.

"No." She said, taking a step back.

"Come on love." He said, pleadingly, sounding _exactly_ like the other one.

"No." She said with finality, "And don't call me love." She said, shoving him out of her way.

She started away, but felt the jerk on her hair as it all came cascading down her back.

"Are you bloody mad?" She demanded, whipping around in anger. She didn't even know his bloody name, blighter.

"Did I say you could leave?" The Slytherin demanded.

She whipped out her wand at this, going utterly dead inside. "Do I look like someone who you can order around?" She asked in a silky soft tone.

He walked towards her with that look in his eye, but she shook her head and shot a curse at him, non-verbal, that caused one to itch all over and feel as though things crawled under your skin. In seconds he would feel as though his skin was being eaten away by the bugs - she'd learned the curse from her lovely step-father.

He fell down and began screaming and trying to crawl away, but she just stood over him, her expression vacant and a small smile curling her lips.

"Did I say -" She asked in a vacant voice. " - you could leave?"

Sirius, James, Remus, Lily, Dawn and Anya where all walking towards the Black Lake when they heard the screaming.

Dawn's eyes went large and she rushed forward, everyone else not far behind.

Sirius saw the seventh year Slytherin writhing on the ground and a dark haired female standing over him. He couldn't tell who she was, all he could see was a mass of curly hair reaching all the way to the girl's hips and he could hear laughter that reminded him a lot of his crazy cousin Bellatrix. Dawn rushed forward.

Sirius watched as the girl pointed her wand at Dawn. Remus plowed into Dawn, pulling her from the crossfire, and Sirius plowed into the unknown girl as James pulled Anya and Lily away.

He heard the unholy screaming begin when he first touched the girl. She sent a curse that hit him in the arm, causing a slice down his entire right arm and totally deadening it. Then she stood and looked his way. He didn't recognize her. Her eyes where an unholy, burning green, and her hair seemed to devour her with the amount that surrounded her and the way that it curled.

Before he could do anything, Dawn stepped in front of him.

"Its ok sweetie, it's me… Dawn." She said, holding her hands out as though to a wild animal. "You know me honey, you know who I am. Whatever he did," she said, looking towards the boy, "he won't get away with it." He heard her whispering towards the girl. "He hasn't gotten away with it." That was when he realized… it was _**Zoe**_.

He watched her eyes go from the writhing boy, to Remus standing threateningly to the side, to Anya, who was creeping towards Remus, to James and Lily, to himself standing behind Dawn. She moved so fast he hadn't realized Dawn was gone till he saw her standing behind Zoe.

Remus, James, and Anya started forward, but Sirius held a hand out when he heard the growl - yes, an actual bloody growl – come from the girl and saw her sister's short shake of the head.

Zoe tried to understand what was going on, she remembered the boy, with the hands, then he fell to the ground, she looked over to him and gave a short smile.

Sirius watched the smile that came to her lips as she glanced towards the boy, it was short and evil.

Then she glanced away and finally looked at who was surrounding her. They were her sister's – and possibly her – friends. She glanced from Remus, the boy who was so protective of her little sister, to Anya, her sister's best friend, to James and Lily, who were perfect together, to the boy in front of her, who she finally noticed was dripping blood all over the ground.

She turned to her sister. "Stay." She said, not wanting to risk her sister anywhere near the Slytherin scum.

She walked towards Sirius, slowly, waiting for him to lash out at her for hurting him.

Sirius watched her walk up to him slowly, almost cautiously. He felt like one of those people who willingly surrounded themselves with dangerous creatures like dragons, just waiting for those same creatures to attack.

"If you let me, I can fix that." He heard her say softly.

Dawn stared in astonishment as Zoe walked up to Sirius and _offered_ to heal him. She started forward, but one look from Sirius stopped her.

She watched, even more surprised and confused, when her sister healed him, then stood on tip toes and kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear.

She then proceeded to do the same to Remus and Anya. By this time Dawn's eyes were so wide she expected they were the size of saucers.

Zoe nodded at the two over to the side then turned towards the Slytherin on the ground. She spoke the counter curse then gathered her stuff and left.

"What in the bloody hell did my sister say to you?" Dawn demanded at the pair as she followed them away from the Slytherin.

Remus shrugged and looked at Sirius, but at his own shrug, he turned to Dawn. "She just said thanks, and sorry."

Dawn's eyes fell from the pair and she began gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Vat are you hiding Liz?" Anya asked.

"Nothing. Honestly, I don't even know what the episodes are about." She said,

"Episode**s**?" Sirius asked, emphasize heavily on the _**s**_.

Dawn looked towards the Black Lake, then turned towards the group standing in their little circle, and decided if she could trust anyone, it would be them. She walked a bit farther, then sat, waiting till the rest sat as well.

"One day she comes home from her mum's, and she's… different. About a year later we're on this walk and these boys corner us. We are just ten, right, and there is no way we can win against them, so my sister backs us against a wall and sticks me behind her." She looks at the group, then looks back to the grass she'd begin dissecting.

"So I'm in the corner and she's in front of me and they reach for her hair right, because she started wearing those buns when she was like nine - actually, it was right after she came home, after the change - and she goes completely mental." She shuddered at the memory of the look on her sister's face that day.

"She doesn't even have her wand yet, but she says a few words and all the sudden the boys are on the ground and we're running."

"We get back home and she just looks at me and says '_No one will _ever_ hurt you. I promise._' Then she turns and walks upstairs, not even telling mum or dad." She paused and looked around, silently whipping the tears - she didn't remember shedding - from her cheeks. "After that, it seems like anytime she has one of them and I'm around, that's what happens. I don't know how to explain it, or even understand it, but there it is."

They all sat in silence, then Sirius spoke up. "Well, I guess we just have to hope like hell that they aren't common and that none of the Professors find out about the whole thing."

Zoe walked into the Gryffindor Common Room. It was nearly three in the morning, so she hadn't expected anyone but her to be up. It was a good thing she hadn't bet on it, because she would have lost. She saw Sirius sitting there staring at her, and for once she didn't have the urge to run.

Sirius watched the girl freeze in front of him. She was soaking wet, her hair plastered to her body and water running down her legs onto the carpet. He walked up to her, but for once, he was at a loss as to what to do.

Zoe stared up at him a moment, but then decided. "Are you going to ask or not?" She demanded softly.

He nodded, but still said nothing about the episode from that afternoon.

"Can I tell you a story instead?" She asked.

"Sure…" He said a bit hesitantly.

"There was this little girl I once knew, she was from France actually. Her parents were… very loyal to a cause that she didn't even understand. And they wanted her to be as well. She'd watch other families, and they seemed so happy, and she'd wish for those families." She paused and looked around. "Well, the family moved to England and that's when her mother finally decided that it was time to tell the little girl a truth she'd never even guessed at. She had another family, well another father who had a different family. Her mother told her she was going to live with them sometimes, that her father had demanded it and she couldn't refuse."

"She met her real father, and her real father's Muggleborn wife. They had this little girl too, she was younger, by a couple of months, and they became really good friends. Sometimes, she becomes a little over-protective of this other girl, and she does things that she wouldn't normally, such as attack people who aren't, necessarily, dangerous to her or this other girl." She stopped and looked at him, waiting.

"So this girl, does she have a name?" He asked, slowly lifting up her chin so he could look her in the eye.

"It's a … Mystery." She answered hesitantly.

"Oh, ok." He said with a smile. "Is there more to this story of little… Mystery's?"

"A lot, but I think that's best saved for another night." She answered with a short smile and stood to leave.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down to the couch. "I know that this is… odd, but if you give me a chance, I think it could mean something."

"This coming from the biggest player in the school, second only to his best friend."

"James is only like that because he's trying to get Lily's attention, and if you remember, its working."

"Then why are you?"

"Because, I've been doing the same thing." He answered, then quickly added, "Just not for Lily."

Zoe laughed at the face he made while divulging the last bit, and then looked deeply into his eyes. She didn't want to push this. "For now, how about just a kiss goodnight."

He smiled, then leaned forward and softly brushed his lips across hers. She pulled away, smiled, then headed for her bed.

Zoe woke the next morning with a feeling of something close to euphoria, only it passed that by a mile. _He'd kissed her, and not because he'd been trying to get another name on his stupid list. _She thought happily. Zoe flung herself from her bed and raced to the bathroom.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she wondered what she should do with herself. She couldn't put heavy makeup on, or wear anything revealing. It wasn't her style. So instead she threw a light line of black eyeliner across her eyes, a small smattering of lip gloss, and - instead of putting her hair up into its super tight bun or braid - she threw her hair into a high ponytail and braided a few thin braids into the tail.

She walked out of the bathroom and everyone in the room seemed to freeze.

"Umm…" One girl said softly.

"What in the bloody hell did you do to yourself?" Was Lily's not so soft demand.

Zoe looked around at the room. "Nothing." Was all she could say.

"Are you wearing _makeup_?" Dawn asked.

Zoe shrugged. Before anyone else could speak, she quickly gathered up all her books she'd need for her classes before lunch and bolted out, only to run smack into all of the Marauder's, _excluding_ Sirius.

James stared at Zoe in stupefaction. "What in the _bloody_ _hell _did you do to yourself?" He demanded in his not so subtle way, unknowingly matching Lily's exact words and tone.

Remus rolled his eyes. "What he means to say is you look lovely today Zoe." Remus said politely.

James shook his head. "_**No**_, what I mean to say is _what in the _bloody hell_ did you do to yourself_?" He reiterated.

Zoe shrugged, unable to answer, and ducked behind them, running for the portrait hole at top speed.

_Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea._ She thought to herself.

**No, it's not.** She argued.

_All these people are noticing._

**So…**

_So? So that means _everyone_ is going to notice, even the Slytherin._

**So. Your hot, flaunt it.**

_That means that they are going to be __**worse**__, if that's even possible._

**Nah, you got Sirius to protect you.**

_I don't __**need**__ Sirius to protect me._

**But you **_**want**_** him too.**

_**So**__ not the point._ She said, finishing the argument with herself and seating herself at the Gryffindor table.

In no less the thirty seconds, Ashley had skirted the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table and was slamming herself down in the seat beside Zoe, clear surprise and stupefaction on her face.

"What in the bloody hell did you do to yourself?" She demanded, asking the same thing that seemed to be coming from _everyone_.

Zoe huffed in irritation. "Nothing. Gash, can't I even do my hair differently without the whole bloody world noticing?" She demanded, slamming her knife down on her plate.

"Nope. Apparently not." She heard a male voice say behind her.

Zoe turned with a smile. "Well, maybe I'll just cut it off then." She informed him.

Sirius got this funny expression on his face that was a mix between pain, denial, and determination. "You won't." Was all he finally said as he took the seat Ashley had vacated in her surprise.

Zoe arched her brow at him. "Won't I?" She asked.

"Nope." Was all he said as he scooped food onto the plate sitting in front of him.

"And why not?" Zoe demanded.

"Because I like your hair and it would be criminal if you cut it off." He explained in his best Professor voice.

Zoe let out a huge - and amazingly real - laugh at that, causing most of the people in the vicinity to look her way in surprise.

Ashley stared at the two, and promptly sat down across from them, surprise and confusion quickly filling her.

"Well, with such a valid argument, it's hard to refute." Zoe said. "I suppose I won't cut my hair off." She finished, turning back to her plate.

Ashley was still staring when James, Lily, Anya, Dawn, Remus, and Peter walked into the Great Hall. James took a seat beside Sirius, Lily beside James, Peter across from them, Anya beside him with Dawn beside her, and Remus took the seat beside Ashley, quickly grabbing her hand and giving it a quick squeeze in worry.

Ashley turned to him, then nodded her head shortly at Zoe and Sirius, trying to ask him without words what was up.

He shrugged, telling her in his own way that; honestly, he had little to _no_ idea.

Ashley glanced at the two once more, than decided she would find out sooner or later. She once more grabbed Remus' hand - under the table of course - and scooted closer, her thigh brushing his all through breakfast.

Zoe sat comfortably - the hair from her pony tail pulled over her right shoulder and laying in her lap - her left side pressed firmly against Sirius as he played lightly with the ends of her hair. She gently traced the outer seam of his pants while they ate.

She was feeling happier then she had in a long while, which was why, when James told them all Quidditch practice in ten, she wasn't surprised. Her happiness had to end sometime, and Quidditch practice was just the thing to do that.

"I hate you James." Sirius hissed.

"Yeah well, hate all you want, we still have practice in ten." He hissed back.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Quidditch Nazi." She threw at James, then went back to her food, this time focusing on food rather than the gorgeous guy sitting next to her. Well, _tried_ focusing on her food. That was kind of difficult when he was running his fingers through the hair that was lying on her lap, and incidentally stroking the top of her thigh as well.

James stood and stuck his head between Sirius and Zoe's. "Now you have five." James hissed sweetly.

Zoe flicked her hair, making sure to smack him with the ends. "Thanks." She said just as sweetly.

Sirius shoved James back and stood, holding out his hand to help Zoe up. "Ready for practice beautiful?" He asked.

Zoe almost blushed, _almost_. "Ready for me to kick your ass you mean?" She asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You don't want to hurt me." He said reasonably.

Zoe looked him up and down. "I _suppose_ that wouldn't be helpful. Would it."

Sirius shook his head and laughed, leading them both to the Gryffindor changing room.

Sirius glanced at her once more. "And if you didn't understand before, you look amazing." He told her.

Zoe smiled as heat rushed threw her. And all threw practice, the heat stayed with her. Other than that, practice was… practice. It went off without a hitch and just reinforced everyone's expectation of James once again being Quidditch Captain, even James.


	27. Valentine Surprise

That night Zoe was exhausted and trying to concentrate on homework when some girl from Hufflepuff strutted into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Sirius Black." The girl screeched.

Sirius looked up from his lounging on one of the two chairs sitting in front of the fireplace; the other was occupied by Remus and Ashley. "Yes Rachel Ingert?" He asked patiently.

"How could you." The girl huffed. "How could you break up with me a week before Valentine's day."

Sirius shrugged. "I just felt it was time." He explained, "And now you can find a guy who really will love you as you should be loved."

Zoe held back laughter at the line that he gave to _all_ the girl's he dumped. The strange thing was, she was pretty sure he actually meant it.

"You know, I've finally figured it out." The girl said as Zoe watched a cruel gleam come into the girls eyes.

Sirius arched a brow. "Figured what out?" He asked conversationally.

The girl smiled. "What your problem is." She answered, mocking his conversational tone.

"And what's that?" Sirius asked pleasantly.

"You're gay." She answered, shocking the whole room, including Sirius. "And I know who it is you are _truly_ in love with." She said, turning towards the Marauder who'd always stayed in the background. "Remus Lupin."

Remus arched an eyebrow at the crazy girl, and just stared at her, refusing to answer while Ashley huffed indignantly from his lap, Remus' hand on her stomach the only thing keeping her there.

Anya laughed. "Remuz and Ziriuz aren't lover's dear," She explained as though to a dimwitted child. "_Azhley_ and Remuz are."

The girl laughed. "Maybe not publicly, but mark my words, they are in love."

"I'm not - not gay." Sirius finally defended himself.

The girl scoffed. "Then why have you never had a serious relationship? One that lasts _longer _than two weeks?"

"James has never held a serious relationship either, and I don't see you accusing him." Sirius shouted angrily.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Everyone _knows_ he thinks he's madly in love with Lily." At this Lily turned red. "What's _your_ excuse Sirius?"

Sirius looked at the crazy girl. "Because I've yet to date the right bird."

Zoe smiled inwardly at the way he'd stated his answer. Not _haven't met,_ but _haven't dated_.

The girl scoffed again. "You're just saying that. Come out of the closet and admit it. You're gay. There's nothing wrong with it."

Sirius just sat with his mouth hanging open at the girl.

"See," the girl said as she glanced around the room and fully realized how avid an audience she had. "He doesn't deny it."

"I'm _not_ gay." Sirius said firmly.

"Prove it." The girl said, finally coming to the whole reason she'd just tried to humiliate Sirius in front of all of Gryffindor. "Stay in a relationship for longer than a month. Commit yourself to a girl… for real." The girl finished, proving to each of the girl's in the Marauder group, that the whole thing had started because she wanted to force Sirius to commit to her.

Sirius gaped. "I can't just _commit_ myself to a girl I don't love."

The girl scoffed. "Exactly, you can't commit to a girl because you're _gay_."

Zoe laughed as she finally stood to enter the fray, a laugh that told everyone of the Marauder's, as well as Ashley, Dawn, Anya, and Lily, that she'd just grown tired of the games the Hufflepuff was playing.

Zoe flicked her unbound hair over her shoulder as she strutted forward. "Rackel, that was your name correct?" She asked.

The girl's nostrils flared slightly. "Rachel." She answered stiffly.

Zoe did an embarrassed little titter that her friends knew was completely fake. "Rachel, my apologies." She said as she sat on the arm of Sirius' chair. "Here's the thing honey." She said a bit sympathetically, and _exceedingly_ sarcastically. "He broke up with you, because I finally said yes."

The Hufflepuff finally looked at the girl who'd just spoken. She wasn't anything special, just a quiet nobody who always stayed in the background, except on the Quidditch Pitch. She was dark skinned and dark haired with green eyes and no makeup what so ever. "What do you mean you_ finally said yes_?" She demanded, feeling no reason to feel threatened by such a girl. And yet she was.

Zoe smiled and grasped Sirius hand. "Well you see, Sirius asked me out about four months or so ago, it was just a joke because of the pressure he was under, but I said no because well, his reputation isn't so good, and I still felt a bit like our parents were forcing the whole thing." She explained, a slight blush marring her cheeks - a completely fake blush. "Well he had to wait another month to ask me out again, because of the pesky Marauder rules, and he did. Like before, it was just as a joke, and again I said no. This continued, both of us just having our little fun and we got to spite our parents as well. But then Sirius kind of surprised me a few days ago and I realized he wasn't such a bad guy." Zoe said as she glanced down at Sirius with a shy smile.

"You're lying." The girl spat in Zoe's direction. "You're telling a tale so Sirius won't be suspected. You're his backup if anyone found out he's gay. A story like that, one that doesn't make you his girlfriend but still makes you proof." The girl ranted.

Zoe gave a sweet little laugh. "Oh honey, you didn't let me get to the best part." She drawled. "You see, last night we kissed, and I finally said yes."

"That doesn't explain why he can't hold a girlfriend for more than two weeks." The girl spat.

Zoe laughed again. "Silly ole me. I guess he didn't tell you."

The girl scowled. "Tell me what?"

"That we've been betrothed since we were thirteen." Zoe said as though it was something she figured _everyone_ would know about. "We were angry of course, our parent's telling us who we'd like before we were even old enough to realize we _could_ like. So when I found out, I told him I wanted _nothing_ to do with him and to find someone else." She explained, holding her hand up when the girl tried to interrupt. "I hated him because something my parent's had forced on _both_ of us. But when I realized he was actually a good guy I finally said yes."

The girl gritted her teeth, her face going blotchy in her anger, and her hands balled into fists. "Said yes to _WHAT_!"

Zoe gripped Sirius' hand tighter as she let the words fall from her lips. "I finally agreed to try this whole betrothed thing." She said, gripping Sirius hand as hard as she could to keep him quite.

The poor Hufflepuff just stood there in shock, but Zoe felt no sympathy for a girl who tried to manipulate a man into loving her. "You… you… you _can't_ be engaged." The girl stammered.

Zoe laughed as she bent her body down and gently kissed Sirius. "Oh, we aren't getting married till after Seventh Year of course, and that's only if this whole thing works out. But yes, we can be - and _are _very much - engaged." She informed the girl when she glanced back up.

The girl couldn't seem to move. Dawn finally stood and walked the poor girl out of the room. Zoe still felt nothing more than distain for such a female.

"We can just make it seem like it didn't work or something." She whispered to Sirius absentmindedly, still staring after the girl.

Sirius stared up at the girl sitting above him. He couldn't figure out exactly what had happened, other than the fact that somehow, Zoe was his, even if she wasn't actually. "Where you serious?" He asked her and sat up slightly.

Zoe looked down at the poor boy and smiled. "No." She whispered softly. "_You're _Sirius." She answered leaning over.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "May I take you out for the next Hogsmead trip?" He asked her softly as he lifted himself up a bit farther.

"Isn't that Valentine's day?" Zoe asked softly, her movement stalled a moment.

Sirius shrugged.

Zoe smiled a _real_ smile and it seemed to light up her entire face. "I guess since we are now engaged, you probably should." She whispered as she leaned farther down.

Sirius smiled. "Good, be ready by twelve." He whispered as he closed the final distance between them and kissed the beautifully wonderful girl he'd wanted since he'd first seen her standing so protectively over the little blond sprite that was so much a part of the Marauder's group.

"YUCK!" That blond sprite screamed as she walked back into the room, completely ruining the moment with her presence. "Stop _kissing my sister!"_ Dawn screeched, actually louder than her previous scream.

Sirius felt Zoe's breath brush across his lips as she huffed out a slight sigh and leaned up.

"Were you serious when you said you've already kissed?" Dawn demanded.

Zoe huffed out a breath, "As I keep having to remind everyone, I'm not Sirius, _he's_ Sirius." She said, pointing down at the laughing boy now lounging in the chair once more.

Dawn grit her teeth in anger. "Whatever, as I said, is it _true" _she asked, stressing the word true "that you and he are… are…"

"Are engaged?" Zoe asked her sister with a wickedly evil grin.

"Duh." Dawn spat.

Zoe looked down at Sirius, knowing they held an audience much bigger than just their own little group. "Technically speaking, we've been engaged since Third Year." She answered her sister.

Dawn growled. "You know, this is really starting to tick me off." She spat at her sister. "You have completely avoided each other for the past six years and now all of the sudden you're engaged and kissing." She blew a bit of bangs from her eyes. "I'm so confused." She finally uttered as she slid to the ground in front of her homework and silently pouted.

Ashley pat the poor girl from where she lay against Remus. "No worries doll, I'm just as confused as you are, and she's _my_ bestfriend." The girl said softly, trying to get over her own surprise. Anya just sat beside Dawn, a slight smile on her face.

Lily laughed, causing everyone to turn her way. "I don't see why anyone's confused." She announced.

James gave Lily a look. "Why not?" He demanded.

"They didn't know?" Lily asked Remus, completely ignoring James question.

Remus shook his head.

"Know what?" James again demanded.

Lily turned to James with a laugh. "Remus and I started a bet you see." She explained. "Peter of course said they'd never get together, A few Ravenclaw friends said Seventh year, A Hufflepuff and Slytherin said Fifth year, Anya said Christmas, but Remus and I said Sixth Year, Second Term." She turned to Remus with a laugh. "I guess we get to collect our winnings."

Anya cleared her throat. "I vink you owe me a vit ov those vinnings." She said with a smile.

Lily lifted a brow. "Why?"

Anya smiled. "Vecause, iv I remember correctly - and I 'ave - you said _he_ vould make the move, I said _she_ vould make the move."

Lily groaned. "Dammit, your right." She said, and then forked over a few pounds.

James looked at Remus. "Why don't _you _have to?" He asked.

Remus gave a wolfish smile. "Technically, I won the most." He informed his friends.

Lily groaned.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow.

Remus smiled larger. "I said they'd get together February, Second Term, Sixth Year, and she'd be the one to initiate it."

Lily groaned and Remus laughed while Ashley elbowed him in the stomach. "I can't believe you didn't let me in on this bet." She said with a pout.

"Hey, I needed the winnings for Valentine's day." He explained.

Ashley arched one of her perfect eyebrows over those intriguing cat eyes, "What about Valentine's day?" She demanded.

Remus smiled. "We have a date."


	28. Breaking Free

**July 13****th****, 1977**

Zoe was no longer thinking straight. She couldn't handle these monsters any longer.

She ran upstairs, slammed her door shut, locked it magically, and started shoving things into a duffle bag. She heard her mother pounding on the door, and it was only so long before she'd get in, but until then she'd get what she could and hopefully get out before the evil bitch caught her.

"Open up now!" Her mother screamed.

Zoe said nothing, just continued throwing things in the bag.

Suddenly the door blew open, piece of it embedding in the walls and scraping across Zoe's skin.

Isabella grabbed Zoe's upper arm and jerked her backwards. "Where do you think you're going?" The woman demanded.

"None of your business." She snarled at the woman.

"It is my business as I am your mother." Isabella snarled right back.

"Well then, I renounce you as my mother." Zoe spat, then tried jerking her arm back. "Let me go."

"Then I claim you as my property." Isabella screamed as she jerked Zoe right back, and tossed her into the wall.

Now you'd think two Pureblooded witches would use magic in a fight, but her mother had always liked it down and dirty, to inflict pain herself, rather than using magic to do it, and Zoe, as her daughter, had learn to do the same.

Zoe stood, and turned to face her mother. "Do you really want to get into this _Isabella_?" She asked.

Isabella looked her daughter up and down. The timid child she'd once known was gone, and standing in her place was a young woman ready to defend herself. This caused Isabella to laugh.

"You still can't beat me _child_." Isabella snarled.

Zoe felt her back stiffen at this. She wasn't a little girl anymore, and she wouldn't be treated like a punching bag any longer.

Her mother shot forward, reaching for Zoe's arm once more, but Zoe stopped her by shoving her backward, slamming her into the bureau.

Her mother shot back up and slapped her across the face. Zoe felt her face, the heat that radiated from her cheek, and finally snapped.

She ran at Isabella, using her shoulder like a battering ram that threw her and Zoe out the second story window of her room. Zoe stood slowly, dusting the loose glass from her body as she glanced to where her mother lay unconscious not far away.

Zoe could hear people gathering, soon Jonathan would show up, and Isabella's husband was even worse than Isabella.

She stumbled out the front gate, summoning her bag and wand, with no idea where she was headed, but knowing where ever it was, it would be safer than where she was now.

Sirius heard pounding on the Potter's front door. It wasn't something that usually happened. Most people didn't pound rudely on the doors of people like the Potter's, and those who were rude enough to do so, didn't have any real problems with the Potter's.

Mrs. Potter beat Sirius to the door; it seemed she was almost running to do just that.

"Upstairs, now." She said, quite forcefully for a woman who never demanded anything.

"What's wrong Mrs. Potter?" Sirius asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Nothing Sirius, please go upstairs, and take James with you. I'll call you when you can come back down." She said with a no nonsense look on her face.

Sirius nodded, too much respect for the woman to actually disobey her.

Mrs. Potter had known the moment Zoe had stepped past the barrier. She'd also known that Zoe wouldn't wish for the boys to know what had happened. The girl was hurt, and if the boys knew, her sister would know, and then her father would know, and that was the one thing Zoe _never_ wanted to happen.

Mrs. Potter checked once more, to be sure the boys weren't hiding, trying to discover what she wasn't telling them. Once she was sure they were where she'd asked them to go, she opened the door to a much disheveled Zoe.

Mrs. Potter gently ushered the girl to one of the back bedrooms and shut the door firmly. "What happened?"

Zoe shrugged at the question. "Isabella and I got in another argument."

"Your mother?" Mrs. Potter asked.

Zoe shook her head. "That woman is no longer my mother."

Mrs. Potter nodded at this as she reached for her salves and motioned for Zoe to sit and remove her shirt.

Zoe sat silently as Mrs. Potter went to grab a pair of tweezers. Once she'd seen the damage, she'd realized she would have to pull all the little pieces out by hand, as she'd wanted it done delicately.

Zoe was pulling her hair around her shoulder when she heard the gasp behind her. She felt her eyes widen as she slowly turned to see the one person she'd never wanted to see this side of her.

"Hi." She said as though she wasn't sitting in anything but a bra and jeans with glass and bits of wood imbedded in her body.

Sirius just silently stared.

Zoe spread her hair out to cover her shoulder and back, trying to make it all less weird. It didn't work.

Sirius hadn't meant to walk in; he'd thought he'd heard Mrs. Potter and he'd figured that whatever weirdness had been going on would be over, he'd been wrong.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

Zoe shrugged. "Got in a fight." She explained softly.

"Looks like it." He replied.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

Sirius smiled. "Shouldn't _I_ be asking that?"

Zoe smiled sadly, and it was all the invitation he needed. He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her. She couldn't help the tears that started after the gesture, but she made certain they were silent.

Mrs. Potter walked into the room to the sight of two much abused children comforting one another. She had to smile at the thought of two such people, people who'd been hurt countless times, comforting one another.

She set the tweezers' down and left quietly; there was no need to disturb this little meeting. Though she _would_ be getting after the little charmer for disobeying her, but probably not too harshly.

She walked out and ran in to her son, her pride and joy, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around him and tightly squeeze him to her chest.

"You ok mum?" James asked.

His mother shrugged. "I love you."

"I love you too mum." He said, patting his mother's shoulder stiffly.

His mother leaned backwards and looked up at her son. "Are you happy?" She asked softly.

James smiled at his mother. "Of course I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be?"

His mother shrugged. "I'm glad." She said, then turned to leave.

"Wait mum. Do you know where Sirius ran off to?" He hurriedly asked.

His mum turned to him. "He's helping a friend right now." She explained softly. "Oh, and we will have one more to dinner." She finished, then walked off.

James arched a brow in confusion, but just shrugged and headed for the kitchen to let the House Elves know they had guests.

Later that evening, there mysterious houseguest joined them. "Zoe!" He said, surprise etched on his face. "What in the world are you doing here?"

Zoe smiled. "Thought I'd drop in to see my boyfriend." She told him. "And Mrs. Potter told me I'd could stay for a few weeks, just until Dawn and the 'rent's get home from their trip."

James smiled. "Awesome, this could be fun." He said with a sly smirk.

Zoe shook her head. "Don't even think about bringing me into to one of your crazy little schemes." She warned him, then she looked at Sirius. "You either." She told him just as harshly.

Sirius held up his hands in surrender. "Now, would I ever do such a thing?"

Zoe snorted. "Of course you would." She said with a laugh.

It wasn't too long before food had been brought and James' parents had come down to dinner. The food was great, though watching Sirius and James scarf it down was not something she enjoyed. Those boys ate as though it was their last meal.


	29. Seventh Year

**Seventh Year**

It was only the second week into school, and already Remus was exhausted. He slowly walked across the common room, headed up to his dorm and a long night of needed rest, when he noticed the figure lying on the couch. He walked to the couch and looked over the back. There slept a girl on her side, black hair covering her face, a blanket laying over her hips and legs, and her shirt riding up above her ribcage.

That wasn't what caused him to stare; he had a girl he was completely in love with after all. Rather, it was the multitude of scars that ran across her back, around her waist, and up her stomach. They rivaled even _his_ in ferocity.

He traced one, fascinated that such a small creature had been through so much, and lived.

He was so busy tracing the scars, he didn't notice the hand on his wrist till it had yanked him over the couch and dropped him to the ground, throat pinned beneath the girl's knee.

"What are you doing?" Zoe demanded.

"What happened to you?" Remus demanded back.

"That's none of your concern." She said, self-consciously tugging at her shirt.

"I'm your friend, so I think it is." He said with _that_ look in his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that." She said, emphasize heavily on the don't. "I don't need, nor want, your sympathy."

Remus shook his head, "It's not sympathy, it empathy."

"What?" She demanded.

"I know how it feels to have things you feel you must hide." He said softly.

"Are you really that stupid?" She asked, completely serious.

"I know -" He started, but she stopped him with a hand to his mouth.

"I already know you're a werewolf, and it's nothing to be ashamed of." She said with a roll of her eyes, standing and helping him up then seating herself back on the couch.

Remus sat next to her, completely stunned. "What else do you know?" He asked, a little scared to find out the answer.

"I know you're a werewolf, and James, Sirius, and Peter are illegal Animagi." She said with a shrug.

"How in the hell do you know that?" He demanded.

"Dawn, Anya, and I saw the four of you the second full moon of our second year." She explained with a shrug and a yawn, figuring Lily and Ashley knew about her and Dawn already, and it wasn't likely the boy's would nark.

"How did you see us without us knowing?" Remus demanded once more.

"Well, Dawn saw you, then let me and Anya know, and we followed you." She said, making it sound simple.

"Not possible, we would have seen you." He said thoughtfully. "And anyways," He said, thinking further, "they couldn't change till fourth year."

"Yeah…" She said hesitantly.

"What?" He demanded.

"Well, after the first time, when they'd walk you to the tree, we'd watch them turn away and go back. Well, every full moon after that we would watch, just to make sure nothing happened. Then one time we noticed the boy's not leave, we started down the tunnel to see what was happening, but we saw the animals and figured they'd finally learned to transform." She said with another delicate shrug, as if she hadn't been putting her, and Anya, and Dawn's, life in danger.

"You could have been bitten." He said, voice cracking unsteadily.

"So." She said with, yet another, shrug.

"You would have been infected and it would have been _my_ fault." He whispered softly.

She laughed at that.

"You find that funny?" He shot at her.

"No, I find your total lack of trust in me funny." She shot back.

"What?" He asked, confused.

Zoe scoffed. "You really think I'd put my sister in danger."

Remus cocked an eyebrow. "You said she saw me, she could have followed me _without_ telling you."

Zoe shrugged. "Werewolf bite doesn't affect animals." She explained, as if anyone should know that.

"Yeah, or Animag-" Remus paused. "No." he said, almost to himself, "not possible."

"What's not possible?"

"There's _no_ possible way that you three were Animagi since _second_ year." He said thoughtfully.

"Your right." She said with a shrug.

Remus gave her a duh stare. "I know."

She rolled her eyes. "Dawn and I have been Animagi since the first month of our _first_ year, Anya I'm not sure." She informed him.

Remus just stared.

"What?" She asked innocently.

Remus couldn't form coherent thought. "What? How? Not Possible."

"Dog, Eagle, and Fox. Advanced magic. Not true." She said, answering each question in order, though he probably hadn't expected it.

Before he could say anything more, down walked Anya and Dawn themselves, as well as James, Sirius, Peter, and surprisingly, Lily.

Before Zoe could stop him, Remus shouted "Did you hear that Zoe and Dawn have been –" He stopped and looked at Lily with wide eyes.

"What?" Sirius demanded, but Remus just shook his head and glanced, once more, at Lily.

Finally, taking pity on him, Zoe rolled her eyes, "Lily knows, she's known since sixth year."

Remus' eyes seemed to get even bigger.

"Just about mine, Dawn, and Anya's secret." She clarified, not wishing to scare the poor boy any further.

"Actually," They heard Lily say quietly, "I know about Remus too."

Zoe heard Remus groan, "Who told you?" He asked.

"No one, just figured it out." She answered even softer.

"Anything else, Lily petal?" Sirius demanded with a pinched sort of tone.

"And about James and Sirius and Peter… and Ashley." She said nodding as she said each name.

"Well, since Lily seems to know _all_ our secrets, what's this about Anya, Dawn, and Zoe?" This _also_ from Sirius in a _very_ sarcastic tone. "Wait… Ashley?" He demanded confused.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't know what animals _you_ are. Just that you are." She answered shortly. "And yes, Ashley."

Remus looked from Dawn to Zoe to Anya, then realized it wasn't his secret to tell. "You have to ask them." He said.

Zoe looked over at Remus, surprise written all over her face, but Dawn, being Dawn, decided secrecy was boring. "We're illegal Animagi."

Zoe watched with a laugh as Sirius's jaw dropped, James's not far behind. "Since when?" They demanded in unison.

"Since…" Dawn stopped, looking towards the ceiling then nodded. "First year." She finished, looking back at the group and smiling, then frowning. "Except Anya of course, she was _before_ she came here, she won't tell me when, but I'm guessing early on in her life."

"Not possible." They both said, once again in tandem.

"Want us to prove it?" Dawn asked, always happy to prove her skill.

"Sure." Sirius said with a grin, wondering what animal the strong, silent Zoe was, probably a cougar or owl. Or Dawn, the sweet, bubbly girl who never had an unkind word to say, most likely a dog. Anya, she was probably something exotic.

Dawn giggled, then ran towards the portrait hole, everyone – not already up – lurched to their feet, and everyone already on their feet, lurched forward - except Anya of course, who walked sedately.

She led them all up to the Astronomy Tower, somehow not getting caught by any Professor or Prefect - that wasn't Lily, James, or Remus of course.

"Ok, you ready?" She asked them. When they nodded she giggled, "Might want to step back." She said.

James and Sirius rolled their eyes and stepped back slightly, but Zoe, Remus, and Lily stepped back a significant amount, leaving the other two boys in front of them. Anya stood off to the side silently.

All the sudden, Dawn turned and flew towards the side of the tower, jumping off. The boys all ran forward, but Lily, Anya, and Zoe just stood, bored, until they saw a transformed eagle - a very big eagle - fly up, causing both James and Sirius to fall backwards. The eagle's feathers' where almost the color of her blond hair, and it's blue eyes stared down at the two boys, the same laughing gleam as Dawn's own.

"Wow." They said, watching her touch the ground and transform back into her human form.

Dawn gave another giggle. "The Eagle; King of the Birds. Fierce and Proud, very few would ever dare to mess with you, in either form." She said, as though reading from a textbook.

Sirius and James continued staring at her, then shook themselves and looked towards Anya, who'd walked forward. "Is this necessary?" She asked.

Dawn giggled, "You know you want to." She said childishly.

Anya rolled her eyes, but complied.

Anya transformed, turning herself into an elegant looking fox, coat of the deepest coal with just the tip of her tail, her ears, her chest, and her socks a becoming white.

Dawn giggled again "The Fox; Foxes may be associated with cunning, but with a shrewd nature also comes intelligence." She said, once again sounding very much like a textbook.

Anya transformed back into a human, then turned towards Zoe.

Zoe sighed, rolled her eyes a little, then transformed. Instead of a cat or bird, such as Sirius expected, Zoe transformed into a black dog… almost identical to Sirius, only elegant looking. This caused not only a few eyebrows raised, but a bit of a gasp from the boys.

"The dog." Dawn said with a smile. "Very loyal. Will always help those they care for in times of need."

Zoe transformed back into human form "Can I go to bed now?" She demanded, walking away before anyone could even answer.

"Sorry about her, she doesn't seem to find it as much fun, nor as cool, as everyone else would." Dawn said apologetically as Zoe walked away.

Remus shook his head, "I kind of figured it was the other way around." He said, but when Lily gave him a questioning look he continued, "You know, Dawn was the dog, Anya was the fox, and Zoe was the Eagle."

Dawn nodded. "It would make more sense, since everyone knows that no one messes with Zoe, but I guess that's the point of the Animagus."

Everyone gave her a questioning look.

"To see ones true self." She said with a dainty shrug. "That's why Zoe's a dog." She explained.

The boys gave her a questioning look.

Anya huffed and rolled her eyes. "Vink about it voys. Zoe vant's vreedom above all elze. Zhe's alzo loyal an' loving an' alvays vanting to 'elp. Just as Ziriuz iz." She explained, her accent _very_ heavy, due to the sleepiness which had yet to wear off.

James thought that over, then looked at Lily with a grin, "So what do you think _you'll_ be?" He asked her with a raised brow.

"Oh," Lily said with a dainty shrug. "I already know." She finished, then walked off without another word, leaving four very speechless people behind her.

"We _have_ to find out what Lily's Animagus is." Sirius heard James say firmly.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Why can't we just ask?" She asked.

"I just did." James explained, "She wouldn't tell me."

"Why not?" Dawn asked again.

James shrugged. "No idea."

Sirius laughed. "Well, does anyone know _Ashley's _form?" He asked.

Zoe sat down beside Dawn. "Yeah." She said as she grabbed for toast and cranberry jam.

James huffed. "Well, do you know Lily's Animagus?" He asked.

Zoe shrugged. "Of course I do." She answered as she buttered toast.

James and Sirius gasped. "How?" They demanded.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Your Patronus shows your Animagus. She helped me master my Patronus, but she had to show me her own to do it."

"So all we have to do is get her to show us her Patronus." James said, hitting the table with the side of his fist as though he'd just made a grand discovery.

Zoe rolled her eyes once more. "Good luck." She said with a sigh.

"Well, how do you know Ashley's?" Dawn asked sleepily.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "She and I go out _all_ the time. It's easy to sneak out as animals." She laughed a bit. "And all of you know it as well if you'd think a bit harder." With that, she stood. "Don't do anything to stupid." She threw at the boys as she headed to find Ashley, toast in hand.

Sirius and James looked at one another, but as Remus began to laugh, they switched their gaze to him. "What?"

"You don't remember sixth year?" Remus asked.

James and Sirius shrugged. "What part?"

"When you saved Lily." He answered.

The boy's thought back, then turned to the two girls left at the table. "That was you?" Sirius asked.

Dawn and Anya nodded. "Though I'm not sure who the cat was." Dawn told them.

Anya then began laughing as well. "Think aboot it." She told Dawn. "Iv you and I are accoonted for, and we know Zoe, then who muzt Ashley be?"

Dawn bit her lip before she to figured it out and let out a snort. "Wow, how did we _not_ figure that out sooner?"

James and Sirius looked at the three who understood whatever it Sirius and James had yet to understand. Remus, of course, finally took pity on them. "Think back to all the animals that night."

"Dog was Zoe." Sirius said.

"Eagle was Dawn." James continued.

"Fox Anya..." Sirius bit his lip before it clicked. "There was that rather large cat." He said, snapping his fingers as he remembered. "And you were all smelling it and whatever."

James snickered. "How did we miss that?" He asked.

Everyone else shrugged as they finished there breakfasts and stood for class. "At least now all we have to do is figure out Lily." Sirius said with a smile. "How hard can it be?"


	30. Christmas Break And A Family

**Christmas Break**

Zoe sat in the train compartment, worry over intruding on Mr. and Mrs. Potter for half the Christmas Break weighing so heavily she couldn't concentrate on the book in her lap.

She looked up as Sirius walked into the compartment and sat beside her, wrestling her hand from beneath the book, not that she put up a fight against him.

"Are you sure Mrs. Potter is going to be ok with this?" Zoe asked softly.

James laughed as he walked into the train compartment. "My mum loves you Zoe. She'll be ecstatic that I'm bringing not one, but _two_ girls home."

Zoe looked from James to Sirius uncertainly. "If you're sure." She said slowly.

"Of course we're sure." Sirius said with a laugh.

Zoe looked back and forth a little more before she finally gave up on the whole thing and turned back to the book in her lap.

"Hey everyone." Dawn said loudly as she and Anya walked in. Anya gracefully sat herself beside Zoe and the window as Dawn plopped herself down on the seat across from Anya and beside James. "So, are we all going to hang out this Christmas?" She asked.

James laughed. "Of course. But Lily is staying at my place all Christmas, so she'll be there too." He explained.

"Of course." Dawn said with a giggle. "Zoe doesn't come home until the second half of break though. Sorry Sirius."

James gave Sirius and Zoe an arched brow but said nothing.

"What did I miss?" Lily asked as she walked in the compartment and sat beside James.

Zoe smiled, she'd never get over the sight of Lily and James, but it was such a pleasant sight, she never actually wanted to get over it.

"Not much," Dawn answered. "Your boyfriend was just informing us of your plans this Christmas."

Lily rolled her eyes. "It isn't like it sounds. His parent's will be there and so will Sirius. Plus he's meeting my parent's this break too."

Anya laughed. "Zhe was kidding. Actually ve vere discussing vhen ve vere going to get togever."

"Of course you were." Lily said with a smile. "Trying to figure out a last huge prank before you graduate?" She asked with an arched brow.

Zoe rolled her eyes while Sirius gave his barking laugh. "Of course, we've had that planned for months now, and we need your help."

Lily looked taken aback "You want _my_ help?" She demanded.

James smiled, "It's only if you are willing of course."

Lily laughed. "Unfortunately I doubt I'll be able to say no."

Sirius grinned. "Of course you won't."

Lily tossed a book at him, which Zoe caught of course, while Dawn and Anya laughed at the whole thing.

Remus and Ashley walked in to the sight of a dark haired girl smiling, while watching a pretty blond almost fall off her seat, as a gorgeous red haired girl shouted at a charming black haired boy, while another black haired boy - this one with glasses - also laughed loudly, and a pretty black haired girl just watched the whole thing behind a pair of small, black, rectangular glasses that were perched on her nose.

"What did we miss?" Ashley asked loudly, getting everyone's attention at once.

"Oh not much." Sirius answered. "Just Lily admitting defeat."

"I did not admit anything." Lily shouted at Sirius.

"And anyways," Sirius continued. "It wasn't _anything_ as interesting as what _you two_ were doing."

Ashley gasped, her face turning bright red as she grabbed for the book in Lily's hand - the same one Lily was about to toss - and tossed it at Sirius head.

Zoe smiled at the sight of all her friends. The only person missing was Peter, and he'd been called away a week before Christmas Break because his mother was sick, so it was no surprise.

Zoe watched it all and couldn't help the happiness that bubbled in her. James, with his messy black hair and crooked glasses, and beautiful Dawn, her golden hair floating around her, sitting and laughing as Lily, red hair glinting in the sun, and Ashley, curly mass of brown hair spiraling around her, both ganged up on Sirius, with his even messier, roguishly long, black hair. Then you had Remus, his dark brown hair throwing off miniscule colors, as he took the seat between Zoe and Anya - who was also watching the whole thing silently - and watched his group of friends. The only way you could tell he was laughing was his eyes, the brown orbs laughing right along with everyone else. This was her true family, the only people - besides her father and step-mother - that she loved with all her heart, and trusted with her life.

She loved these people, and that would never change.


	31. You Can Never Escape The Past

**LAST CHAPTER**

"Hello **daughter**." Zoe heard behind her.

She swung around to stare into the eyes of her greatest demon… her mother.

"Who is that?" Sirius asked beside her.

Her mother glanced towards him. "Oh, I see we are keeping company with blood traitors _as well_ _as_ Mudbloods." Her mother said with a sneer.

"You and I have **very** different ideas of what makes someone a traitor or dirty." Zoe answered her mother.

"Oh, we've developed a backbone have we." Her mother said nastily.

Zoe looked her mother up and down. "Maybe I just know that **now** I can protect myself. I'm not a helpless little girl anymore." She smiled. "You do remember the last time we met up you came away with just as much bruising as I did."

"Even if you won _one_ battle," Her mother began with a laugh. "You will **always** be a helpless little Acantha."

"My name is **Zoe.**" She threw at her mother archly.

Her mother snarled. "Your name is **Acantha**. Your middle name just happens to be Zoe." Her mother threw right back.

"What are you doing here _Isabella_?" Zoe demanded.

"I'm here to take you away from all these horribly bad influences." Her mother explained in her exaggerated motherly tone.

Zoe just rolled her eyes. "Leave." She said.

"No." Her mother said, grabbing her arm and yanking her forward.

At this point, Sirius decided to step in, but her mother had other ideas. She shot a curse towards Sirius, which he luckily ducked, and Zoe shoved her mother to the ground and threw herself backwards.

"Get out of my way Acantha." Her mother snapped.

"You're not going to hurt him _**Isabella.**_" She snapped right back.

Her mother stomped her foot in a childish show of temper and shot a curse that barely missed Zoe's head.

She motioned at one of the two men standing behind her and out stepped the man Zoe had thought was her father for the first half of her life.

She shot a curse at him and he flew back, further infuriating her mother, who shot another curse at Zoe, only this time it didn't miss. She hit a tree and fell to the ground, a wave of dizziness trying to overtake her.

She could see Sirius and her mother dueling threw the haze of her vision, but she couldn't stand to help, every time she moved she felt the blackness swell forward and try to overtake her.

She knew the minute her mother turned deadly. A look bled into her eyes and Zoe knew she was about to throw _the _killing curse at him.

"No!" Zoe shouted and both her mother and Sirius looked her way.

"What?" Her mother demanded in irritation. "Why can't I?" She asked like a petulant child.

"Because, I love him." Zoe explained, standing shakily.

"You wuve him." Her mother mocked. "All the more reason." She said and her wand shot up.

The next events unfolded almost simultaneously. Her mother's wand shot up, Sirius jumped to the side, and Zoe sprang forward. The next thing they all knew, her mother had flung the killing curse forward, Zoe dropped to the floor, and Sirius flung his own curse forward and knocked Zoe's mother out.

Sirius looked towards where Zoe's body lay, praying but knowing. He dropped to the ground beside her, and the worst was confirmed.

"NO!" He screamed, dragging her body forward and cradling her head to his chest. He rocked her back and forth, sobbing in sorrow.

He sat on the snowy ground for who knew how long, rocking her body back and forth, tears falling from his eyes onto her pale cheeks. He heard footsteps headed his way, then a feminine cry and someone landed on their knees beside him. He felt the person try to yank her body away, but all they could get hold of was her shoulder, he refused to let her go.

Remus had started over the hill, trying to find Sirius, Zoe, and Dawn, a bad feeling presiding over him, but what he saw was worse than any nightmare he could have cooked up. He saw Sirius sitting on the ground with what could only be Zoe's body lying across his legs, her dark hair spread out behind her like a discarded cloak, while Dawn was bent over the other side of the girl, sobbing. Sirius had tears staining his cheeks, more falling every moment, and they seemed to be trying to wrestle over who had the right to hold the girl. It was like a twisted dance between the three, the girl in the middle was the prize that the two fought over.

Remus ran forward. "Stop!" He yelled at the two. "She wouldn't want you two to do this." He said, dropping down to pick the girl up. "We need to get her to the hospital wing."

Sirius shoved at him, trying to get him away, but at the moment Remus was **much** stronger than Sirius. He lifted her up and started forward.

Luckily he passed Anya, Ashley, Lily, and James no more than a few steps away. Lily saw who he was carrying and began sobbing, but at Remus' look she tightened her jaw and nodded. He tilted his head towards the two people still sitting on the ground and James nodded in understanding, going to help his friends in their time of need.

Remus reached the hospital wing, Ashley not more than a step behind him, and Madame Pomfrey screamed when she saw the dead body in the boy's arms. If she had been a woman of weaker disposition, she would have fainted, but instead she stiffened her upper lip and strode forward with only a single tear in her eye.

Not long after, the rest of the group was brought in. Dawn and Sirius where given potions to put them to sleep, and Zoe's mother was put into a holding cell. When Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall finally learned the sordid tale, all they could hope for was that none of their other students would have to go through so much. Unfortunately they knew that nothing could ever bring the poor girl back.

Sirius stared down into the grave of the only girl he'd ever love. He just wished she would have realized it before she died.

He could feel Dawn beside him, softly sobbing into Anya's shoulder, the Russian girl was the only person who'd ever really comforted Dawn. Ashley stood beside Remus, a look of despair clear in her eyes. James and Lily stood on his other side, Lily was also crying, only into James's chest.

He knew he probably should have felt jealous, but he couldn't. He was too happy for James and Lily, as well as Remus and Ashley, and Dawn and Anya - though those two would have a hard life together. But he also couldn't be jealous because that would have been a violation to Zoe's memory. She never would have felt anything but happiness for someone else's happiness, that's just the woman she was.

He smiled once more at the thought of her, as he tossed a red rose onto her grave. She'd died just as she'd lived, protecting her loved ones. He'd wished he could have protected her, instead of the other way around, but then he figured she'd just punch him for that thought. He'd never let her become just a memory, she would be the reason he went on, lived, became what she'd always known he could. He'd loved her, and she'd loved him, he'd honor that.


	32. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Sirius smiled as Harry threw a curse at Malfoy. He threw his own at Bella, sad that there family had driven them to this, but unwilling to let that change what he had to do.

He threw another curse, laughing once more. "Good one James." He yelled. Realization of what he'd said was the only reason Bella's next curse reached its intended destination.

Sirius smiled as he swore he felt _her_ hands pulling him backwards into bliss. The last thing he saw was his godson's precious face. He smiled at the boy to let him know that he was happy, and not to worry, _**She**_ was there, he just knew it. Then he let himself be drug backwards and everything went black.

Sirius opened his eyes and looked around himself in confusion. The last thing he'd remembered was fighting his cousin along side James' son. Then he'd heard Bella throw the killing curse at him, just as another woman had in another life, but this time _**she**_ hadn't been here to stop it, and it had connected and he'd fallen into the veil. The next thing he'd known, he was standing in his and Zoe's spot, a place he hadn't been to in **at least** eighteen years.

"Sirius." He heard behind him.

Sirius felt his jaw drop. He **knew** that voice, he might not have heard it in exactly eighteen years, one month, and three days, but he'd know it _anywhere_. "Zoe." The name escaped on a breath as he turned around to face her.

There she stood, looking almost **exactly** as she had that day, not twenty minutes before she'd died. She was wearing a beautiful white summer dress this time, but her hair still floated around her and her gorgeous green eyes still shone in the sunlight. She had a smile on her face that he'd only seen so many times before she'd died, one that brought a smile to his own face.

"Hello Sirius." She said. "I've missed you."

He looked around himself. "Where am I?" He asked.

"I suppose you can call it our form of The Afterlife, or Heaven, or whatever." She explained.

"I don't deserve to go to Heaven. I've done horrible things, things you wouldn't, couldn't, be proud of." He said, a desolate tone coming into his voice as he looked around as if searching for the people who would take him away from her, and that was _**exactly**_ what he was doing.

"I know **everything** you have, and haven't done." She said with another smile.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She gave another laugh. "I _never_ left you." She explained. "Unlike most people, I got _three_ choices. First, I become a ghost. Second, I move on to a 'happier' place, but somehow they knew I couldn't do that without you. So they gave me a third option, I get to stay with you and guide you through the rest of your life, and therefore I would be here when you finally joined me."

"Why?"

"Why did I pick the third option you mean?"

"Yes."

"Because." She said with a smile. "I love you, and I knew your life would be hard. I'm just glad I was there when you needed me."

"Where you there with the Dementors? Was that your presence I always felt?" He asked.

"Of course." She answered with a smirk. "Couldn't have those nasty beings taking away your memories of me now could I?"

He laughed. "Of course not."

"Are you ready then?" She asked him.

"Definitely." He answered.

Zoe smiled and grabbed his hand.

"Oh, and one more thing." She said, not yet moving.

Sirius turned to her quickly, grasping her shoulders in his panic. "If you tell me you're leaving me again, I won't allow it without a fight."

Zoe laughed. "No. I'm not going anywhere."

Sirius gave her an arched brow. "Then what?" he asked.

"Your line still continues." Zoe told him with a smile.

Sirius gave her an expression of complete denial. "You're the only one I ever loved; you were the last woman I was even with. I _can't_ have a child."

Zoe laughed. "Oh. I should have been clearer."

Sirius just watched her a moment.

"I should have said _we _had a child, well actually, children." She said with a smile.

"You died, it isn't possible." He explained softly, almost sadly.

Zoe placed her hand upon his cheek. "We are magic, anything's possible."

"How?" He demanded.

Zoe smiled, stroking his cheek gently. "I was pregnant when I died and my sister made the ultimate sacrifice for me." She explained. "They told her I was pregnant and she told them she would take the baby into herself and birth it as her own. She named our son Orpheus, because she said you and I, we were both so very dark, and she knew that's a name we'd like. And our daughter Leilah"

Sirius gasped. "As in Orpheus and Leilah Smith? Dawn's twins?"

Zoe nodded. "Actually, his name is Orpheus Orion Black."

Sirius arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

Zoe laughed. "Really." She said with a laugh and a slight eye roll before continuing. "And Leilah Acantha Black."

Sirius gave her another of his arched brows. "Acantha? I thought you hated that name."

Zoe laughed. "No, I hated my mother and my using my middle name was my way of rebelling."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Of course it was." He said, then thought back on the earlier conversation. "I met her." He said quietly.

"I know." She said with a grin.

"I'm glad." He said, then laced his fingers with her.

Zoe gripped his hand tightly. "Now, I think there are a few other people here to see you." Zoe said with another laugh.

"If you tell me Pettigrew made it –"

"No." She said, "But don't hate him any longer."

"I don't." He said with a sigh.

"Good." She said with a smile.

"Hey, question, did Ashley make it?" He asked.

She nodded in answer. "Now, let's go see James, Lily, and Ash." She said, and led him away.

If you were to see them, you wouldn't see the girl as she'd been when she'd died. She looked as though she'd aged slightly, maybe mid-twenties, early thirties, and the boy, the man, he didn't look like the tortured man he had been when he died. Rather he looked like the man he would have been, if the love of his life hadn't died and he hadn't been blamed for his best friend's death. A very handsome man and woman, that's what you would see. A very beautiful pair walking towards a very beautiful light, twin looks of happiness and content settled on their faces.

**The End**


End file.
